By Way of Rock
by Carcanet
Summary: So, before 'Mr. S.' came, the class was divided. Fights and arguements usually rose up. But then when Dewey came and formed the band, something else formed between the students. FK ZS
1. A Day in the Life

So, hello people! I had just watched School of Rock and I think it totally did rock!!! I wanted to write a fanfic or something, and since I discovered a School of Rock section, I decided to do so... Hey, I don't know how many years there are in that school of theirs, so just bear with me as I make it up, it goes with the story anyway; let's make Horace Green a more public school. So the story synopsis is that basically, the kids are all in different cliques. Although they are in the same class, they barely associate with each other and there are often huge squabbles usually surface. The class is divided and only a few are friends. But when Mister S. comes as their substitute teacher, and forms the band, he also forms something else forms between the students... Please don't forget to review.  
  
By Way of Rock  
  
Chapter1  
  
A Day in the Life  
  
Summer Hathaway primly walked down her house's staircase clad in Horace Green's uniform. Her hair was combed neatly, her teeth were brushed to perfection, her shoes shined, and her uniform pressed. Her mother saw her small daughter and kissed her on the forehead.  
  
"How do you feel, first day of the new school year?" asked her mother, Summer was to start fourth grade. She was going to be the fourth grade factotum, as she probably had the most credentials, "Are you a bit nervous?"  
  
"Not really mom," she answered plainly, "But I want to get their early. Can you drive me there now?" She was itching to arrive in school, ready to impress everyone once more with what she had just learned over the summer and her newfound brilliance.  
  
"Sure honey," said her mother, "Go on to the car and wait for me there. I need to get my keys," said her mom. She handed her daughter her schoolbag and Summer scuttled off outside to her mother's car, waiting patiently for her to come with the car keys.  
  
Summer waited out patiently and watched the passing cars. She saw some girls, who were in the same uniform. She knew them from last year and was about to greet them, yet she stopped when the two began whispering fiercely to each other, looking pointedly at Summer.  
  
Summer could barely make out what they where murmuring about, but she clearly heard them say, "Hey it's that girl in the third grade last year..." "Isn't she that perfect student...?" "No wonder no one likes her..." "She is such a big kiss up!" "Thank God we aren't in the same class as her!"  
  
Summer stood there, her mouth agape, yet before any real damage was done, her mother appeared. "Summer, come on, let's head for Horace Green," her overpowering cheeriness didn't change Summer's now sullen mood, "I know that you are dying to get there!"  
  
Maybe she was a teacher's pet, maybe she did have more merits than any other person in the class, but people did like her, right...? Summer grimaced at their comments. She knew that she didn't have the most friends, yet their rude whispers hurt her.  
  
She went inside the car buckled up in the passenger's seat. As her mother started up the car, she propped her head on her hand which was supported by her elbow. Sometime in the ride her mother noticed her daughter's brooding mood, "Summer, what's wrong? I thought you were excited about your first day. Aren't you excited to see your friend, Katie was it?"  
  
Summer bit her lip and faced her mother, "Mom, do you think it's wrong to be proud of how many merits you have, or to always follow what the teachers tell us to do?" Summer asked her mother hesitantly.  
  
Mrs. Hathaway gave a concerned look to her daughter, "Of course not dear! Why are you asking?" questioned Mrs. Hathaway, as she made a left turn. They were already facing Horace Green, "You are perfect dear."  
  
The response Summer dreaded the most had been said.  
  
"Forget it mom, we're here already," Summer said hastily as she exited the car in a hurry, even if school wasn't to start in thirty minutes. Summer shut back the car door, "Bye mom, I'll call you later to pick me up."  
  
"Good bye dear! I hope your first day goes well!" with that she drove off.  
  
Summer sighed as her mother drove away. Where those girls right? Did no one like Summer? Of course not! She knew that Katie liked her, the teachers adored her, yet she wasn't exactly the most popular with the students...  
  
She walked up to the school, not that many students had arrived yet, but there were still some students who arrived as well. She pushed the swinging doors open and entered the vast building.

* * *

Katie, labeled as the silent and brooding loner by those with power, i.e. the popular kids, got up from her bed as the alarm sounded. She bit her lip, remembering that this was to be the first day of the new school year. She got up and entered the bathroom. She took a shower and changed into her uniform.  
  
As she came into her room once more, she walked to the life-size mirror and examined herself. Her black hair reached her shoulders, her bangs slightly concealed her forehead. Her face, although rather formidable was fixed into an eternal frown. Her body was hidden beneath the uniform; perhaps she had gotten a size too big. The skirt was rather long, and so were her woolen socks.  
  
She thought miserably, 'I'll never be good enough, not for him...'  
  
She sullenly walked out of her room and down to the kitchen where her parents would not be, as they were out early, on to work. She would have to fix her own breakfast and ride her bike to school, not that she minded really. She loved her parents, yet sometimes it got a little lonely when they were not around.  
  
She buttered herself a piece of toast and munched on it thoughtfully. She sat down on the wooden chair and began to speculate on the first day of the new school year. She would see Summer, probably her only real friend. She would also see Zack and Lawrence, who she had gotten to know better the past year. She would see all the snobby girls ridiculing and poking fun at her. But then, she would see him...  
  
Whenever she thought of him, it blocked out all the insults thrown at her, even if he did throw some himself. Whenever she saw him, her legs would go weak and her breathing would stop. Whenever he spoke, no matter how uncouth, she would always sigh as if poetry was being recited. Whenever he was there...  
  
What would they think if they knew Katie was fantasizing like this, all about some boy? What would Summer say, if she found out that her friend was romanticizing over some schoolmate, him nonetheless? Katie wasn't thought of as the romantic type, yet ever since she developed feelings for him, her emotions were sprawled out either in poetry or song.  
  
She finished her toast and downed her milk. She grabbed her satchel and headed out the door. She went to the porch where her bike was parked, and mounted it. She pedaled off to Horace Green, where she would finally see him...  
  
As she biked along the sidewalk, she spotted a group of girls; they were from Horace Green as well. They were in a grade or so higher than Katie. Their skirts were hitched dangerously high, their uniforms were a few sizes too small, and not all of their buttons were actually fastened.  
  
Katie sighed; those were the kinds of girls he would like...  
  
Yet as much as she did like him, she would never change her appearance for some boy, him nevertheless. As much as she adored him, she was just as strong-willed and intelligent. She knew that changing her appearance and the way she acted only proved superficiality, after seeing so many movies that shared this topic. If he did happen to like her, than he wouldn't mind the way she was or who she hung out with.  
  
She continued pedaling on, though faster, trying not to catch the attention of the girls, driven by the fear of an unpleasant encounter with the ditzy kind. Her thoughts strayed back to him once again.  
  
She began to wonder if he even knew her name...  
  
'Of course he does!' she thought to herself. She remembered one time he said her name. Summer, being the factotum, was absent one day, so their teacher assigned him to do roll call. After what seemed like an eternity, he called out her name.  
  
...Katie...  
  
It sounded so beautiful when he said it. He made such a common name sound charming and unique. His rich voice and intense tone invaded her dreams at night. Even the most boorish words could sound like a ballad when he belted them out.  
  
Well, perhaps not...  
  
Katie shook her head from those mushy thoughts. Some years ago, she would have been disgusted at the way she was thinking. She would be completely disgusting with him. Yet now, the boy that she was supposed to abhor, she now adored. She should have hated him with all her might, since he was such a jerk, yet somehow she couldn't bear those feelings.  
  
She kept her feelings as a deep, dark secret. No one knew about such emotions, not even Summer. The only one she confided into was her notebook. It was a blue, spiral notebook. She brought it everywhere she went.  
  
Within this notebook, she put in all her thoughts and feelings. Here she scribbled down the poems and songs dedicated to him. This notebook was her escape from the harsh realities and the biting truths. Within it, she unleashed her soul...  
  
Katie continued biking, until she saw another kid clad the Horace Green uniform. It was a boy on a skateboard, his hair slicked back, and his bag hanging lazily on his shoulder. Katie smiled when she recognized who it was...

* * *

Freddy Jones, probably the most sought after boy in his grade, searched blindly for the snooze button of his alarm clock, yet to no avail, he was forced to get up, by the threatening shout of his mother. He got up sluggishly and trudged to the bathroom, barely realizing that it was the first day of the new school year.  
  
He took a shower, indolently put on his uniform in an unkempt way, and walked to the fogged up bathroom mirror. He reached into the medicine cabinet and pulled out a bottle of hair gel, his best friend...  
  
Although he loved hair gel, he hated the way he had to wear it to school. He didn't like his hair slicked back, he liked it spiked up, making him look cool. Although his uniform messily put on now, it would be fixed right away by his mother.  
  
He went downstairs and found his parents there. His mother was fixing breakfast and his father reading the newspaper. His mother squealed when she saw him, "How's my little Freddy-weddy! Are you excited for your first day of school?" She pulled her son into a tight hug.  
  
He pulled away from her and wiped his cheek with his sleeve, "I guess," he answered, as his mother began straightening out his uniform. Freddy sighed in embarrassment, "Can I take my skateboard to school?"  
  
"Your mom and I were planning to drop you off son," said his dad, looking up from the paper. He gave his son a calculating look, "Or are we going to be cramping your style?" he asked, humor in his voice, with the smirk his son inherited plastered on his face.  
  
"Oh don't be silly dear!" his wife replied before Freddy could, "We are the two coolest parents in his whole class! We are the two hippest 'rents you'll ever find!" Freddy watched in horror as his mother 'got jiggy with it.'  
  
Mister Jones's head turned to his son, his face contorted in suppressed laughter, "You have our full permission to bring your skateboard..."  
  
Mrs. Jones looked at her husband with mock hurt and whacked him upside the head with a spatula, "Eat your breakfast Freddy, and go on and leave your passé parents!" his mother moaned dramatically. Freddy jumped into the food.  
  
"Who ever said that I wasn't cool?" asked Freddy's father, smirking with his left eyebrow quirked.  
  
Freddy let out a small cry of frustration and finished up his breakfast, "I am going to leave now, before anything else I will regret happens!" He grabbed his leather schoolbag and skateboard and ran out the door, "And for the record, dad... You are way cool!"  
  
"Freddy Jones!"  
  
He jumped on his skateboard and zoomed off before his dear mother could bite his head off. As he skateboarded he looked inside his bag to see what junk was in it. He found a lot of lint, remnants of old sandwiches, scattered test papers and homework, and a photo.  
  
It was the photo of his class last year. It was their official class photo; they were arranged by height and made to look perfect for the camera. He was standing in the furthest row, as he was one of the tallest kids. He was beside Katie and Frankie.  
  
Frankie was a big kid, he wasn't as tall as Lawrence, but he was a bit bigger. Frankie was a friend to Freddy. They usually pulled a few jokes on their classmates and had a lot of laughs together. He was another tough guy of the class, yet he wasn't as popular as Freddy.  
  
Katie, she was a loner, her only friend was probably Summer, the perfect teacher's pet. She was one of the hardest targets to play a joke on, yet when they managed to pull something off, it was priceless. Not that she would cry, yet you could feel her annoyance and anger. She rarely ever did smile, much less to Freddy, yet in this picture she was beaming... 'She looks pretty in this picture.'  
  
Surprised that the thought popped into his mind, he was unaware of the lamppost in front of him...  
  
He wasn't supposed to think that way! He was considered a bad boy, and well, Katie was a good girl, even if she was the brooding type. He didn't like girls like Katie, he liked girls who were more like... well, girls!  
  
His image was brought up ever since he was introduced to Horace Green. His bad attitude and his trademark smirk caught the attention of the female population. Thus he had skyrocketed up on the popularity list. He became friends with those labeled, 'the-popular-badboys-who-are-hot-yet- untouchable.' This label was just as or even more popular than the 'ditzy- and-stupid-yet-totally-popular-girls-and-boys' label.  
  
He got up woozily and rubbed his head. He stole a glance at his watch and freaked, apparently school was going to start in ten minutes, and he was still a distance off. He jumped on his skateboard again and skated off, not particularly wanting to be late on the first day...

* * *

Zack Mooneyham straightened his tie out in front of his mirror. He inspected himself once more; his black hair was neatened, combed, and gelled down. His uniform was ironed neatly and his tie was angled perfectly. His pants were pressed and his shoelaces were tied. He studied his face in the mirror. It was long and his eyes were deep and sunken in and his cheekbones were rather hollow. He wasn't bad-looking, bordering on handsome, but it would help if he smiled more often.  
  
He was doing all this for approval, approval from his father. His dad expected him to do his best and be the best. His father made sure that Zack was never out of line, causing the poor child to become introverted and intimidated. Zack idolized his father at times, yet he was also frightened and scared as well. He wanted the best for his son, yet it didn't seem that way all the time...  
  
"Zack, come down now or you'll be late for your first day of school!" his father called from downstairs.  
  
Zack sighed as he heard his father's commanding voice. The man was very intimidating; his interest of the guitar was limited, as he was only allowed to play classical music. He was a silent, listening child, as that was what his father made him.  
  
He walked down the stairs, his posture erect, and his face emotionless. His father waited at the foot of the bottom step, waiting to inspect his son, "Good morning Zack, are you ready for your first day?" He reached for his already straight tie and straightened it out some more.  
  
"Good morning, dad. I believe I am ready for my first day of school," he answered in a monotone voice. He forced a smile at his father, wanting to tell him so badly that he was nervous and uncertain.  
  
"Very well then, eat your breakfast, and you can ride your skateboard to school," his father said to him as he headed for the door, "Call me on my cell phone if anything happens, goodbye son."  
  
Zack gave a sigh of relief as his father exited the house. He ran to the kitchen, where his breakfast was most likely to be. It was a bowl of muesli. Zack sighed once more and ate the muesli unenthusiastically, not exactly savoring its taste. Sighing was a thing he usually did...  
  
As soon as he was finished eating his 'breakfast', he took his schoolbag and skateboard and exited the door, making sure to lock up the door behind him. He mounted his skateboard and whizzed off to Horace Green.  
  
He had covered some distance, when he heard a girl's voice sound behind him, "Zack, wait up!" the girl called. He stopped his skateboard and turned back, it was Katie, a new friend of his whom he got to know better in the last year. She was pedaling on her mountain bike.  
  
He smiled as he saw her, "Hey Katie!" he waited for her to reach him.  
  
"Are you excited for today?" she asked as she reached where he was standing, Katie was panting slightly, but she smiled as she confronted Zack.  
  
"Excited, kind of... Nervous, definitely," he answered, making her laugh, "What about you?" He mounted his board again, and got ready to ride.  
  
"There are some low points, but there are some high points as well," She replied simply, "Although I don't know which outweighs which..." The two continued on biking and skateboarding, chatting occasionally. Both of them were glad that they had someone with them to take the plunge.  
  
After some minutes, they arrived at Horace Green. Katie dismounted her bike and parked it at the bike rack. Zack picked up his skateboard and stared at the vast building, "Are you ready to go in?" he asked her, knowing the answer she was going to give him.  
  
"As ready as I'll ever be," she answered unsurely, shrugging as if it was not really a big deal.  
  
They pushed open the swinging doors, beginning what was to be a new chapter in the most exciting story which was their lives...

* * *

I am so glad that it I finished this chapter! You don't know how relieving this is! I'm posting it right away and I promise to update as soon as I can! So, do you guys like it? I hope it was okay... I only did these four characters, because they are who the story is mainly going to revolve around. I bet you didn't think that the guy Katie saw was Zack, I'm sure that you thought it was someone else... Heh! Heh! Heh! I really do hope that you like it, and that you are going to review... The interactions at school will begin in the next chapter; can you people wait for it, although I don't know when I will be updating? I will be including the others and Dewey as well! Just wait and please comment on my work! Please don't forget to review...


	2. The Horrible Taste of What is yet to Com...

Here is the second chapter of my story... I hope you people enjoyed the last chapter. I really want the story to progress more and I hope I get more reviews, heh! Heh! But seriously, I want the story to be the best it can be. In this chapter the students will experience their first day of school, they will meet their old classmates and start their fourth grade. How do you think they will react, seeing their old classmates once more? Dewey will come soon enough into the story, but I don't exactly know when to put him in. I really want to get this story going, because the idea is still fresh in my mind, and I think it is a rather good storyline, but it is really hard to do so!!! Hey wait, I have a question. Is Lawrence Chinese or Japanese? Due to popular demand, one review anyway, I will be doing a Lawrence thing in this chapter, I guess. Anyway, please enjoy the story and don't forget to review.  
  
Chapter2  
  
The Horrible Taste of What is yet to Come  
  
Katie and Zack pushed open the wooden doors of Horace Green. They weren't late, yet they weren't early as well. A lot of students were already there, yet they didn't see anyone from their grade, much less anyone who liked them. They saw many of the older students, those popular, those who wouldn't give the time of day to either Zack or Katie, and those who just got lost within the sea of the different students.  
  
"The school doesn't look all that different, does it now?" Katie said as they gazed at the wide hallway. Many other students bustled and ran to each other in welcome, happy to see their old classmates, ignoring Katie and Zack who were just standing in the middle of the hallway.  
  
"No," he answered, mouth agape, "There's still that threatening, uniformity thing going on..." he muttered sardonically. Katie laughed at his attempt at sarcasm, "I'm not all that thrilled about seeing some certain people again. I wouldn't mind seeing Summer and Lawrence again, I guess. They are probably the only two people in this school worth shooting..."  
  
"I know what you mean," she agreed, they began to walk to their locker assignments. The small paper with the locker combination was given to them a few weeks ago, when they were given their new books and uniforms. Apparently the lockers assigned to them were next to each other, "I'm not all that thrilled about seeing Michelle and Marta." The two were rather supercilious to Katie.  
  
"Yeah, I'm not really going to enjoy seeing Freddy or Frankie," greed Zack, he was usually subject to their torment, "Oh yeah and Ms. Mullins, I can't wait for her to grace us with her presence in class." he murmured sarcastically.  
  
"You know, I would have never guessed that you were the sarcastic type," Katie said smiling. They reached their lockers and Zack deposited his skateboard inside, "Let's get to class," as they were assigned in the same classroom.  
  
They arrived at the classroom, slightly early, since the teacher wasn't there yet, although most of the students had arrived already and were busy speaking with their friends. As they entered the room, they first saw Summer, who was in her usual front-row seat, looking as prim and neat as humanly possible, but the moment she saw the two walk in; she jumped up in haste, "Katie! Zack!"  
  
She jumped up to greet them. She gave Katie, who was much taller than her, a huge hug, and smiled widely at Zack, "I missed you guys over the summer," she said, practically beaming, "How were your vacations?"  
  
"We went to Europe, it was great!" said Katie excitedly, as she did just see her closest friend, "We went to Rome, Milan, and Paris! It was completely excellent." She lowered her voice so the other students wouldn't hear her, and she and her friends returned to their seats. Summer sat in front of Katie, who sat beside Zack.  
  
"Mine was nothing much," admitted Zack, "My dad brought me to all these museums," he said plainly, "It wasn't much of an experience if you ask me..."  
  
"I wouldn't imagine that it would have been," Summer interjected, "We went to Japan, and I learned how to use chopsticks!" Summer gushed as if it was such a huge accomplishment. Zack and Katie just shook their heads in mock exasperation, knowledgeable of Summer's 'know-it-all mentality'.  
  
"So, who is here already?" Zack asked Summer.  
  
Before she could reply a coarser voice cut in the conversation, "Hey Mooneyham!" Zack visibly cringed as he heard that voice yell out those two words, which he did hear quite often, knowing full well who it belonged to.  
  
"I guess that, that answers my question," he muttered exasperatedly, "What do you want now Frankie?" He turned to face the owner of the voice which had yelled at him. It was Frankie, probably the biggest boy in class.  
  
"You're still hanging out with pansy girls Mooneyham?" Frankie taunted, towering over the sitting Zack, "I wouldn't doubt it if you would soon become one!" He belted out a laugh at his joke, it would have been a great insult, yet the deliverance and comedic timing were off.  
  
"Oh yeah Frankie, and Freddy Jones is just the most upstanding student in Horace Green," Katie snapped at Frankie, catching him slightly off-guard, defending her friend, but Frankie, surprisingly not as slow as he had been, caught up quick.  
  
"No, that would be Miss Stuck-Up Summer!" he shot back, "And besides, I'd rather be like Freddy than you three wet blankets! I bet you would never dare cross a teacher!" He teased the three of them singularly.  
  
"I am not stuck-up!" complained Summer angrily, "You... You... You jerk!" Katie and Zack cringed at the lame comeback, yet said nothing to Summer, she appeared to be seething with rage at this point.  
  
"Jeez Hathaway!" yelled Frankie in happy exasperation, "You can't even insult a person properly! I bet none of you can even bring yourselves to say a bad word!" His voice was completely challenging.  
  
"Shut the hell up Frankie!" Zack yelled to him with a rare burst of raw energy, catching the attention of some of the other students in the classroom. Most of them were surprised at the sudden outburst, much less that it came from Zack Mooneyham.  
  
Frankie was shocked, but then he let out a smile, "Maybe you aren't that bad after all, Mooneyham." He returned to his seat in the last row. They three were clearly relieved. After a moment or so, another face appeared. It was Lawrence, another good friend and a rather tall guy.  
  
"Hey Lawrence," greeted Zack, he stood up and shook hands with him. The girls greeted him as well, "How have you been man?"  
  
"I am okay," he than raised an eyebrow, "I noticed that you had a little run in with Frankie... What happened?" He asked them, the three all sighed simultaneously as they remembered the newly passed event.  
  
"Nothing much," Summer replied angrily, "But he did call me stuck-up, said that Zack was going to turn into a girl, and that we were all wet blankets!" She ticked them off her finger in annoyance. Lawrence nodded in sympathy.  
  
"It wasn't that bad actually," Katie admitted, "I mean, Freddy would have done much worse..." They nodded in agreement.  
  
"What?" a new voice poked in, "Who said my name?" Of course, it was Freddy Jones. His slicked back hair slightly disheveled, and his uniform had a bit of mud streaked on it, not to mention a rather forming bruise on his forehead, "Why were you guys talking about me, I mean, not that I have to ask, since I know that my influence reaches even the remotest people in the class!" He snapped sardonically.  
  
"Nothing," Summer said in the sweetest tone she could manage, without spilling out her insides, "We were just contemplating on what big jerks you and Frankie are!" She said with an ominously sugary smile. The other three had to contain in their laughter.  
  
He gave her a calculating glare, but then shrugged lazily and flashed, for the very first time in the new school year, his legendary and trademark smirk, "I'll take that as a compliment," he walked to the back of the classroom and plopped down on the seat next to Frankie, the two began to talk animatedly, most likely plotting something against a classmate or two.

* * *

After I got up from the lamppost I hurried away, knowing full well that if I didn't hurry, I'd be late. Now, the teachers didn't give demerits to you on the first day, but I didn't really want any other extra junk filling up my permanent record.  
  
So, I rushed it on my skateboard, thankfully not wiping out or ramming into any other lampposts. I got to school, rushed to my locker; rammed my skateboard inside; after fiddling for the combination, and then I went inside my fourth grade classroom.  
  
As I arrived near the classroom door, I heard someone say, "...I mean, Freddy would have done much worse..." I was curious, who said it and what did they mean. I didn't really like people talking about me behind my back... it made me suspicious.  
  
So, I did the only logical thing in my mind and asked, "What...? Who said my name?" as I entered the classroom. Of course, not to sound so jittery, I had to come up with a smooth comeback, "Why were you guys talking about me, I mean, not that I have to ask, since I know that my influence reaches even the remotest people in the class!" pretty smooth huh? When you talk to people, even if you are barely making sense or telling the truth, when you are smooth, you bowl them over. And I, am very smooth...  
  
Deliverance is everything.  
  
The people who were talking about me, were the remotest kids in my class, hence they were Summer, Zack, Lawrence, and Katie.  
  
Argh, That girl again! She made me crash into that stupid lamppost. The other, much smaller girl, Summer was talking to me, something about me being a jerk. Of course, you have to keep your cool, you still have to be smooth; even if you barely comprehend what the person speaking to you is saying.  
  
So, I, being the slick and suave Freddy Jones, say in response, "I'll take that as a compliment." How smooth can you get!?  
  
But then as I walked back to my seat, delighted at their frustration, my thoughts strayed back to Katie. Even as I was talking to Frankie, barely hearing what he was saying as well, but keeping my composure on, I was watching her at the corner of my eye. A sudden burst of pure interest of the tall girl popped up inside my head as I saw her talking quietly to her friends.  
  
I was talking to Frankie, not really knowing what we were talking about or what I was replying to him, yet somehow he didn't notice, he wasn't exactly as smart as I was, but he made up for it in size. He was probably my only friend in the class.  
  
I was thinking... not usually a good sign...  
  
Logical thinking was for people like Zack Mooneyham, or Summer Hathaway. Not many people thought that I, Freddy Jones thought, but I did, although logic didn't usually comprehend into my brain.  
  
I liked to think, I won't admit it, but yeah, I do like thinking. I thought of school sometimes, when I actually cared. I thought of days without school. I thought of fast cars. I thought of music. I thought of girls, yet Katie didn't seem to be like the ones I thought of. She wasn't the most beautiful girl in the school, but she was intriguing, I doubt that legions of boys fell head over heels in love with her...  
  
Wait! Head over heels in love? What the hell am I thinking? I have got to stop listening to Mom when she reenacts her soap operas...  
  
But then why was I thinking about her, it seemed that she managed to etch into my brain without me knowing it. It was as if I couldn't stop thinking about her. I told myself that I wanted to stop, and I forced my brain to do so, yet I couldn't, perhaps subconsciously I did want to think about her, but of course, I would never admit to myself, much less anyone else, that I wanted to think about Katie. It just wasn't me...  
  
Was all this just because of one stupid picture?

* * *

Lawrence sighed as he entered the classroom. He was ready for a day full of fun-filled learning, and was trying to prepare himself for what the bullies had in store for him. He reached the door and slowly twisted the doorknob. Lawrence wasn't late, he never was.  
  
As he opened the door to a crack, he saw his, possibly only, friends being harassed by Frankie, the only kid in class who was probably larger than Lawrence. He greatly disliked Frankie, He wasn't nearly as bad as his friend Freddy Jones, yet somehow Frankie usually targeted on Lawrence while Freddy terrorized other students.  
  
Lawrence had no idea why they were so popular...  
  
Where did that leave him? He knew full well what they thought of him, he was the 'weird-Asian-kid-who-can't-speak-English-well-but-he-is-just-as- much-of-a-killjoy-as-Summer-is'.' It seemed that even on his first day that everyone saw him. He wanted to prove them wrong, yet in a way, he knew that they weren't exactly lying, yet they didn't hit the nail dead on the head.  
  
Hey, every typical kid story needed their Asian kid, right?  
  
Lawrence sighed once more, he seemed to be doing a lot of that for the past school years, but he didn't have a trademark sigh. He wasn't cool enough to have a trademark anything. Ms. Mullins had her trademark look of reprimanding, Freddy had his trademark smirk, Alicia had her trademark grin, and even Zack had his trademark sullenness!  
  
But no, Lawrence was lost within the sea of all the other students, trademark-less...

* * *

Just after two minutes or so, after Freddy graced the class with his presence, their teacher came into the room; it was Miss Dunham, a youngish old teacher who did everything according to the rules, which is how a teacher should behave, actually.  
  
"Good morning class," She smiled a sickly sweet smile at the class, making them all cringe, "Welcome to the fourth grade, I will be your teacher, Ms. Dunham," her voice was completely sugar-coated, "Now, we will all go around and introduce ourselves, go to the front of the class and say your name and say something about yourself like a few of your interests or who your best friend is, then you pick someone to go up and do the same thing," She then walked in front of her desk, "I'll start!" she squealed.  
  
"I am Miss Dunham," She said, her mouth a foot wide, "I am a teacher here at Horace Green," she gave a small giggle, "I like my job, I like to ski, and I love children," she told them, "I am allergic to tomatoes and fish," She told them, "Who wants to go next?" she scanned the class of uneager faces, "How about you?"  
  
She pointed to Summer, who was rather eager actually. She bounded up from her front row seat and faced her fellow classmate, "I'm Summer Hathaway," she said, not contemplating on the fact that they already knew who she was, "I like attending school, and doing schoolwork. My best friend is Katie," She said, "Who will be going next." She smiled primly and walked back to her seat.  
  
Katie groaned silently and gave a Summer a mocking glare. She walked to the front of her class and forced a quick smile, "My name is Katie," She said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, well, in the class anyway, "I play the cello, and I like to read and write," She scrutinized the class with her dark brown eyes, "Zack."  
  
He grunted softly and pretty much looked exasperated, "My name is Zack Mooneyham," a few snickers went around in the class, "I play classical guitar and I also like to read and write," His sullenness returned, "Lawrence."  
  
"My name is Lawrence," the Asian boy scuttled to the front of the class, "I enjoy playing the piano and I like going to school, my favorite subject is Science," Audible snickers were heard at the back of the room, "Billy."  
  
A much smaller boy, practically frolicked to the front of the classroom, and they could have sworn that they saw Ms. Dunham's eyebrow twitch, "Hi! My name is Billy," he said, practically beaming, "I like drawing and clothes," a few people's jaws were agape and very audible snickers were heard from the back, even the corners of Miss Dunham's mouth were quirking, "Gordon!" He pranced back to his seat.  
  
"Hi... my name is Gordon..."

* * *

The introductions continued on and on, it seemed like an eternity to me! I mean, I've known all these people ever since the first grade, some I knew way back from kindergarten! I was probably going to be called last. Most people are threatened by me, I don't really know if I should be honored or worried.  
  
After Summer, who was nearly as preppy as Ms. Dunham, Katie went up. He groaned under his breath, why did she have to be her next, especially during the time he was thinking? She stepped up and said, "...My name is Katie... I play the cello, and I like to read and write...Zack..." Her long finger twiddled in an unsightly manner.  
  
Suddenly I shot up in my seat, thankfully I went unnoticed by my classmates even by Frankie, making any jerking movements isn't exactly the smoothest move you can pull of in class. She called Mooneyham! I felt my hands ball into fists. I bit my lip to prevent me from lashing out.  
  
Speaking of smoothness, I was thinking of starting this thing, Freddy Jones's Smoothness 101. Frankie's already bought into it, and I'm sure a couple of desperate guys will want in as well.  
  
Now we go back to what I was saying... I was suspicious once again. Did Katie like Mooneyham? She wouldn't, would she? He wasn't even good-looking! I look way handsomer and cooler than lousy, old Mooneyham! Wait! What the hell am I thinking of now?  
  
Am I actually jealous? No, Freddy Jones does not get jealous, especially when Zack Mooneyham was involved. Argh! What am I doing? I never refer to myself in the third person? What is that girl doing to me?  
  
Actually, the chances of me and her getting together were as thin as a sheet of paper. It hadn't helped that I tormented her each week, ever since I knew her. I wondered why these strange emotions were surfacing now.  
  
I was still rather agitated, but I forced myself to calm down a bit. Katie was sitting down and Mooneyham was finishing up, he called Lawrence, the goofy Asian dude. I was contented to studying the girl for a while.  
  
She was taller than all of the girls in the class, but she was slimmer than Tomika who was probably nonetheless her height as well. She was as tall or possibly an inch or so taller than me. Her dark hair reached her shoulders, curling softly. Her back was hunched as she leaned forward in her desk, although her posture was usually erect.  
  
I looked away from her and forced myself to the unsightly mole on the back of Leonard's neck. It was disgusting, but it was probably all I could actually handle. I actually noticed that Frankie had left his seat and that he was up in the front, introducing himself. After he was done he said, "Freddy."

* * *

Freddy groaned loudly and earned a rather reprimanding look from Miss Dunham. He was indeed the last to get called to the front of the classroom. He got up lazily and swaggered to the front of the classroom. He flashed his trademark smirk and a few of the girls gushed, "Hey, name's Freddy Jones," he flashed another smile, "I like listening to music and I have a skateboard." Yes, lame, I can accept that, but I think that all my creativity washed away with all those adjectives I used to describe that blasted girl with!

* * *

I waited in my seat as Summer was finished talking, she called me, much to my displeasure. I stood up unwillingly and said, probably the lamest thing in the world, "...My name is Katie... I play the cello, and I like to read and write... Zack..."  
  
I wanted to call him so much, yet somehow I knew that I couldn't. It was like an unwritten law of the class, a girl like me shouldn't call the boy she had a crush on, or else, well, he would find out sooner or later, and that would either complicate things or make them clearer.  
  
Either way, I wasn't going to take the risk.  
  
I waited and waited for him to be called and for him to step up and talk. I wanted to hear his voice again. I wanted to hear his nice and rich tone. I wanted to see his handsome face and lovely hair. But I was cautious not to show my eagerness After all I had a brooding image to keep up, just like he had an image to keep up...  
  
I liked who he was, and yet I wish he was a bit nicer to me and my friends. I mean, I know that we aren't the coolest people in the school. But is it extremely hard to just leave some people, whom you don't like, alone?  
  
Not that I want him to completely forget about me! It's kinda exhilarating, knowing that a boy you like pays attention to you, even if the attention he gives you isn't exactly the nicest or most charming. He torments me not only during the day, but he is all I think of at night.  
  
So, basically, I am saying that I want him to stop heckling me and my friends, but in a way I don't want him to stop, knowing completely that if he didn't torment me, he would leave me alone and forget about me. He's probably going to find some new group to harass.  
  
I don't even know what I am saying anymore...

* * *

I watched as Freddy was finishing up, since he was the last to introduce himself, I was extremely bored. I watched Freddy lazily, "Hey, name's Freddy Jones... I like listening to music and I have a skateboard." He used his patented Freddy Jones smiles and smirks for like five times in those two sentences.  
  
As much as I hated Freddy, I admired him. I didn't admire him because of his supposed 'coolness.' I admired him for his boldness and his skills, relating to people and to smoothness. But, I think I got on his bad side fast, when I found him in the bathroom a year ago.  
  
I was really itching to go to the bathroom, and for some reason, the teacher seemed to enjoy prolonging my agony. After ten minutes into the class, she finally let me go. I ran down the hallway, but as I reached the bathroom door, I halted. It was slightly ajar, and I heard a voice coming out of it.  
  
"You're so pretty! Yes, you are!" I recognized that voice, "You're slick, smooth, and suave! You are the coolest guy in all of Horace Green, yes you are!" I peeped in and saw some blonde kid, posing in front of the bathroom mirror; he kept combing his hair and crooning.  
  
I stiffly walked into the bathroom, planning my comedic timing. As I entered the bathroom, I found out that I had just walked in a "Freddy Jones Ego-Boosting Session," "So, Freddy, do you come here often?"  
  
He looked flabbergasted and bemused. His face was contorted in shock, "Mooneyham! What are you doing here?" I found him with a comb in his hand and his hair especially shiny and slicked back.  
  
"Well, it was rather obvious to say what you were doing," Freddy just stared at him in angry shock, "Now I know the secret to your spellbinding charm and flawless hair!" He laughed, quoting some girls who were talking a bit too loudly during class.  
  
Freddy didn't say anything, but the rage in his eyes spoke loud enough. Without a word he ran to Zack and rammed him against the bathroom wall, "If you say anything Mooneyham, I swear that I will pulverize you!" He threatened.  
  
I coughed loudly, but then I grinned sardonically, without contemplating my current position, "Well you know," I choked out, "It isn't you who has the leverage over me, but it is I," I coughed, "If I tell, you will pound me, but even if you do, you'll go crash and burn, loosing all your beloved fans. You pound me, the pain lasts a few weeks, a month at the most, but the pain I will be able to bring to you, will scar you for eternity! If I fall, I bring you down with me and use you to break my fall!"  
  
Pretty big words, for a pretty small kid...  
  
It wasn't exactly like me to threaten someone like this, But this was Freddy Jones, finally I had complete leverage over the kid I hated the most. I had almost forgotten about needing the toilet. I gave him a challenging grin, and he released me unwillingly, "Fine do your business Mooneyham and get out of my sight!" he roughly let go of me and trudged back to the classroom.  
  
I was happy with myself, and then I was relieved as I 'did my business.' Finally, Zack Mooneyham, the quiet, introverted boy, had something big over big, bad Freddy Jones. I bet Freddy never expected me to threaten him.  
  
And well, neither did I...  
  
Well, my great accomplishment didn't last very long. Apparently, Freddy had been scheming for sometime. So, a few days after I had discovered his little secret, he came out with it, in a very big way.  
  
He posted something up on the bulletin board. It read, "Have you ever wondered the secret to Freddy Jones's..." After that line, his gigantic head was placed below, smiling in all its arrogant glory, "...spellbinding charm and flawless hair?"  
  
He just had to mock me...  
  
"...Well wonder no longer! If you truly wish to discover Freddy Jones, come to the Boys Bathroom, a quarter before four..."  
  
I guess it was too good to be true...

* * *

"Alright class!" Ms. Dunham said as she clapped her hands enthusiastically, "Now that we all know each other, let's start on our first project!" Most of the students, Summer and Lawrence excluded, dropped their jaws, most teachers laid off on the schoolwork until the second week, "The three topics are, "The Solar System and Beyond," "Mythology," and "The Greatest Geniuses of Time."  
  
"Excellent!" She gushed once more, "Now in this science project you are supposed to pick a subject from this hat," She somehow conjured up a hat without them noticing, "I will group you into fives and you will pick a representative to come and pick from the hat."  
  
"Okay, the first group," She said happily, "Next are Tomika, Michelle, Marta, Billy, and Frankie," frowns were the result of this group, but Miss Dunham didn't notice, "Alicia, Eleni, Leonard, Gordon, and Marco," Lawrence eye twitched at the set of names, "and of course, Summer, Katie, Zack, Lawrence, and Freddy," Each of their two eyes bulged out and inward groans occurred simultaneously.  
  
Ms. Dunham gave a loud squeal, "Don't you just love your pairings!?" Her high-pitched voice, forced Zack to restrain himself from bringing up his muesli breakfast, "Now, with your group, set your desks so that you are facing each other. Then you must pick a representative to go up to the board, where I will be with the hat, and he or she will reach in and pick out the topic you will be reporting on!" Each word hit a higher note.  
  
Grumbling was heard in the midst of the squeaking desks as they were moved place to place. Freddy, who was the only one in the group who didn't sit in the area where the other four sat, had to grudgingly drag his desk over to where they were sitting. They were seated near the front hence a lot of dragging was involved.  
  
He forcefully pushed his desk when he was a foot away, banging it right in between Zack's and Katie's, but of course, why would he care? Disregarding the anathema circulating through the surrounding desks, all forcefully directed at him, he plopped right onto his wooden desk, regretting it immediately as the hard wood made contact. Yet he refused to show his pain to these...mortals...  
  
"So, Hathaway," He spoke rudely, "Why don't you just get up and pick from the hat like teacher said?" Summer gave him her worst glare. He just shook his head and rolled his eyes, before dropping his head on his desk, "Oh come on! We know that you, so desperately want to go!"  
  
Summer was inflamed by his comment, "That is not true!" She turned to her friends for support, "Right guys?"  
  
Katie suddenly found the ceiling very interesting.  
  
Zack had his forehead in his hand, shaking his head slightly.  
  
And Lawrence just stared at Summer...eye twitching...

* * *

I don't know if it is any good, but I like the ending and some of the commentary. I just kinda went all out in this little chapter. I am also very sorry for not being able to update, it's because I was gone for sometime, I went abroad, leaving my precious behind. No, this isn't the Lord of the Rings section! Must, save that talk for later, anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and that I hope you will enjoy the next. But not only that, I hope you enjoy the whole bloody story!


	3. Keeping Your Enemies Close Enough

To all you people out there who have reviewed my story, thank you! I'm really glad that this story is progressing well enough for you people, although I would have to admit that most of the stuff I came up with happen just like a few seconds before I actually put them into text. It's kind of like impromptu thinking... It can be sloppy sometimes, but I suppose it works for me. To the people who have dropped praise as large as bombs, I'm not joking, thank you even more! I didn't really think I would get such a great response, because of my fickle updating, but thank you again. Oh, and to the person who told me that they don't speak like kids, I know. I felt the same way when I reread the story, but even the youngest kids, have the most profound thoughts. And how about we make them just a little bit smarter that any other normal little kid, and besides... Did they talk like fourth graders in the movie? Oh, and to whomever said that Zack's surname is Moningham and not Mooneyham, how do you know for certain? If you do happen to have some source, can you inform me of it? You know what, I'm just going to shut up now and get on with the story!  
  
Chapter3  
  
Keeping Your Enemies Close Enough  
  
Summer yelled in frustration at the blank response she had gotten from her friends. Zack released his forehead from his hand and faced her, "Summer, if you really do want to go, we aren't going to stop you," He put in, in a weak attempt to be helpful.  
  
"Fine!" she stamped her foot before facing Freddy dangerously. She turned to him and jabbed a pencil directly towards his throat, practically a millimeter away. He didn't show any visible signs of panic, "I'm warning you Jones!" She threatened fiercely, the other three just stared and watched silently, "If you mess this project for us out of spite, I will disembowel you with this pencil!"  
  
"Now, Hathaway," He said in a mock understanding tone. He gave her the most contorted face of forced concern. He put his hand steadily on her shoulder, trying not to break out in girlish giggles, "Have the doctors released you from the mental ward, or did you just escape!"  
  
"Yes, in fact I did escape!" She was angry, yet her voice turned cool, "I wanted to get away from you and all your psychotic insanity!" With that she dropped the pencil and stormed to Miss Dunham and her hat. Surprisingly no one had heard their 'little' row.  
  
Freddy rolled his eyes and faced the other three, Zack who was eyeing him dangerously, Katie who bit her lip in order to prevent her from lashing out, and Lawrence, whose eye seemed to be twitching uncontrollably, "So," He said with his trademark smirk, "What have you three been up to?"  
  
"Well, I see you have been busy with your hair again," started Zack, "I can still see it's shining in all its pampered glory. Did you spend like three hours on yourself this morning?" Lawrence's eye stopped twitching as he laughed at Zack's comment.  
  
Before Freddy could reply, Katie cut in, "Now Zack," She began, barely containing her huge grin, "Just because not all of us have a natural beauty, that doesn't require such hard pampering, that doesn't mean that we have to take it out on Freddy Jones here. Even if the amount of money he spends on all his cosmetics is twice the tuition fee!"  
  
Zack and Lawrence broke out in uncontrolled guffaws. They could tell that Freddy was seething, yet they got no satisfaction until he had shown them his anger, "Yeah, Katie, but you can't help but wonder," he began with a forced airy voice, and he continued "What does the real Freddy Jones look like?"  
  
"That is indeed a profound question Zack," Lawrence quipped up, getting into it.  
  
"Thank you Lawrence," Zack said, clearly enjoying this, "What do you think Katie?"  
  
She was giggled silently, yet her body shook as if she was sobbing her heart out, "Well Zack, I can't say that I would be surprised if the true Freddy Jones was a wrinkled old man with a bold head and liver spots!" The three broke out laughing again, this time catching the attention of Miss Dunham and Summer, who glared at them fiercely.  
  
The quieted down a bit, but resumed in their guffaws, "You are the three most singularly low people I have ever met in my grade school life," He managed to hiss in an even voice, "What kind of insulters pick on one person who isn't even trying to retaliate, for the fact that he or she knows that he or she is outnumbered," he expected them to apologize, yet they gave him quit the opposite.  
  
"Oh you mean what you've been doing to us for how many years...?" Lawrence asked with falsified innocence.  
  
You could practically feel the laughter in the pentagon they had made. Zack was softly banging his head on his desk and Katie's covered her mouth and only small sniggers were heard. But Freddy laid there still, his mouth quirking at the sides and his lips pursed, but he did not say anything. His anger was slowly coming to the surface, but he kept it in.  
  
Summer, who barely noticed their fight, only up until their volume increased, bounded back happily. She shoved a small piece of paper just a few inches in front of Lawrence's fingerprint-free glasses, "Look what we got!" An unmistakable, yet totally annoying squeal seeped into her voice.  
  
"Do have some strange obsession of jamming random objects into random people with great speed and increasing annoyance?" Freddy asked tediously, rolling his eyes and meeting his desk for a rest.  
  
"Don't even start Jones," She snapped at him in a happy tone, "We got "The Greatest Geniuses of Time!" She squealed excitedly, "Isn't this the greatest? I mean, we practically got the best topic out of the hat!"  
  
"Why Hathaway?" asked Freddy, a snappy comeback forming in his mind, "Excited to see your old boyfriends!" Zack couldn't help a snigger and Katie continued biting her lip. Summer glared at the two of them, but plopped into her seat which was across Zack's.  
  
"Anyway," She continued herself, brushing the fact off, "We should divide the work into fractions, or to be more precise, let's make it percentages," Summer went to work mode right away, "I of course will take care of the division of work, but for now, let's work on what those percentages will be." In a split second she pulled out three identical binders, only different in color.  
  
She kept a yellow one for herself, a light blue one for Katie, a dark blue one for Zack, a green one for Lawrence, and a black one for Freddy. She folded her arms in a business-like manner, "As you can see, I was preparing for a teacher's project. So I brought these binders along with me for my group mates," She informed them sternly.  
  
"Now, you'll all have to fill in the information card now and afterwards you will have to submit it to me," Freddy rolled his eyes noticeably afterwards Katie gave him a deadly glare, "When you receive it once more it will show what sort of research you will have to do, our meeting schedules, and your progress report that Miss Dunham gave." She continued droning on, "You will give me your binder three times a week, and I will fill in your progress report," Before anyone could interrupt, she continued on, "I will give someone my binder on the same time basis as well, and they will fill in my progress report," Summer smiled sweetly at them, "All the exhaustive details will be placed in the binder..."  
  
"Wait! Wait! Wait! Wait! Wait!" Freddy yelled suddenly, oblivious to the pissed off looks of his fellow classmates, but he lowered his tone anyway, "Do you actually mean that we are actually going to be working together?"  
  
"Jones..." began Katie, "as much as we loathe the idea of working with you, we have to." She shot him a challenging smirk, "Hence it is called 'group work.'"  
  
"Oh very witty Katie," He grunted irately, "So, what are we going to do now?" He rolled his eyes once more and flailed his arms in exaggerates motions, "I mean since you so bossily pointed out, you are practically going to do the most work!"  
  
"As I said before Mister Jones," Summer's voice turned icy, "We are going to work on the percentages now?"  
  
"And what exactly do you mean by that, Summer?" asked Lawrence, who sat in his seat, eye recovered. Zack waited as well, although he knew that Summer was mentioning something about the percentages of the amount of the work that they would do, he didn't exactly understand.  
  
"Well," She tapped her chin in thought, "Imagine a big pie chart-"  
  
"Wait! How about a real pie instead!" offered Zack, who was obviously hungry.  
  
She looked at him, yet she didn't look annoyed. It was more of a frustrated happy look, but she relented, "Fine then," She answered, barely containing her smile, "Imagine a big, gigantically huge pie-"  
  
"What flavor is it?" asked Freddy, cutting in after Zack, just trying to push a few buttons, he put on a rather genuine grin.  
  
"It's an apple Pie!" Summer shot back, clearly annoyed at Freddy's attempts to set her off. And even more upset that he actually was beginning to upset her, and her whole perfectly planned operation, greatly.  
  
"Why not blueberry..." Katie asked, smiling as well.  
  
"No, chocolate!" contributed Zack. Summer seemed annoyed, yet there was no angry expression on her small face, but an exasperated, yet smiling grin on her face. Zack relented, "Fine Summer, go on and continue."  
  
"Thank you Zack," She shuffled a few papers and returned to business mode, "Now, as I was saying..."  
  
***  
  
I rammed my seat over to theirs and sat down harshly. I felt the sting of the hard wood but I said nothing, and I hoped that they didn't see anything as well. So, I of course, being the Master of all Smoothness, came up with a snappy comeback, "...So, Hathaway...Why don't you just get up and pick from the hat like teacher said...?" And well, then she glared at me, but I wasn't about to loose to this girl. So then I replied, "Oh come on! We know that you, so desperately want to go!"  
  
Then she yelled something loud enough to hurt my ears, yet soft enough not to be heard by other bystanders. She seemed to be talking to her friends. I didn't really comprehend what she said, but I knew it was something to contradict to what I had said.  
  
Apparently she had asked something to her friends, who were, well, just not responding. Mooneyham was shaking his head in his hand, the Asian dude's eye was twitching weirdly, and Katie refused any eye contact.  
  
I cursed loudly in my mind  
  
There she goes again! Every freakin' bloody time I see her or even mention her name while I was thinking, it started something inside of me. Like a spark of fire, that it slowly burnt all the eclectic chords and tangles of my twisting emotions until I willed the burning craze it to come to a halt.  
  
What the hell did I just say... or think? I think... What the hell is wrong with me!?!  
  
After I had done my supposed lapse of thinking I paid attention once more. Apparently Hathaway had a pencil point pressed against my neck without me realizing it until now. I was worried, but I couldn't show it to them, now could I?  
  
I could barely understand what she was saying, but I had clearly heard, "...disembowel you...pencil..." I guess that was a threat enough for me, even if I knew that she would never go through with it. What, with her being who she was?  
  
And then I said something about her being locked away in some mental ward and about her escaping or something... Don't ask me! This memory thing was harder than I had thought. After that, she had made some snappy comeback and traipsed away. I shrugged not really caring, but I rubbed my neck on the spot she had pointed the pencil at.  
  
Then sense rolled back into my brain, surprising isn't it? I realized that the other three losers were there, "...So...What have you three been up to?" Of course my precious grin didn't fail to escape me in this smoothness emergency.  
  
After that I had pretty much blanked out and returned to my thoughts. I'm guessing that it's an okay way to deal with insults, since I knew they were coming. I looked at the girl once again. She was looking at Mooneyham as he made his sarcastic comment and laughed right before she made her own.  
  
Somehow, it felt that Zack Mooneyham was his rival.  
  
What, rival? What the hell was wrong with him?  
  
I tried to push out all the negative thoughts in my head (and there are a lot, mind you), unwillingly, at least, that's what I told myself, and opened the possibility of me and Katie. Mooneyham, Lawrence, and Hathaway would probably be there as well, but I didn't want them to be.  
  
I had barely an idea why the thought occurred in my head that Zack Mooneyham would be my rival when it came to winning over Katie. I mean, I doubt that he has any bigger feelings for her than a great friend, or even a sister, but in the pit of my mind I knew why.  
  
If I put on the charming me, I would definitely obtain her affections, but to earn her trust would be a totally different story? And what use is having a girl's affections if you don't have her trust? If she ever did come to trust me, it would be an unsteady emotion that would tether on every move that I or she would make. I would have to strengthen said emotion and help her be able to rely on me, the fruits would be bountiful and priceless, but I didn't know how long it would take.  
  
Trust builds on years. It takes years and years of friendship, loyalty, and a never-ending bond. I knew Katie probably at the same time Mooneyham and most of the other kids knew Katie, but of course, I wasn't too big on starting school as the good, little boy. So, I contented myself with thrashing around with other peoples paints and generally being a really big jerk.  
  
They, being my teachers and parents, noticed my displeasing behavior at such a young age and decided to take action. I was taken to a psychologist who talked to me, asking me simple questions which I couldn't figure had anything to do with why I was there, but in about an hour the session was over.  
  
He said that there was nothing wrong with me, just that I had a big wave of arrogance, but nothing uncontrollable...  
  
I then figured that I had to be more subtle in my actions. My bullying acts lessened. I hadn't quarreled with the whole class, but only about a fraction of it, but then I stopped with some others and singled out a certain four, namely Summer, Zack, Lawrence, and Katie, and perhaps an occasional Billy.  
  
Provided he didn't scream like a girl...  
  
As the years progressed Katie began to hate me, and I'm sure her other friends shared a similar annoyance. I terrified her by ripping of the head of her dolls. I made her cry by ripping up the painting she had gotten five golden stars with. I streaked mud all over her Sunday dress with my tricycle. I laughed at her mercilessly whenever she made a blunder. I made fun of her friends when she wasn't "insultable." I tormented her by casting fierce glares and severe scowls directed to her. I practically made her life miserable...  
  
I doubt that she would ever trust me...  
  
Even if she did somehow fall in madly love with me, would she trust me enough to stay with me? No, she wouldn't... There were so many more people whom she trusted, like Summer, Lawrence, and of course Mooneyham.  
  
If Zack could ever boast about anything that he had over me, Freddy Jones, it would be the fact that people trusted him. I had already known from sometime after the beginning that no one, besides my parents, completely, wholly trusted me with anything, but I didn't care...up until now.  
  
I then realized that the fact hurt me. It wasn't that Hathaway didn't trust me to get the project right. It wasn't that Miss Dunham probably didn't trust me after seeing my record. It wasn't that Miss Mullins definitely did not trust me. I wasn't even the fact that anyone didn't trust me to be anything remotely good.  
  
It was the fact that Katie just didn't trust me.  
  
After all those years of torment, I clearly doubt that she would ever, and I knew that I was the only true blame for my unhappiness. I could have turned good, if I knew that these emotions would turn up and torture me like this, but I didn't...  
  
All those years I had spent laughing my mouth off, had already torn from my hand what I had barely even found...  
  
***  
  
I couldn't believe it. I was blessed enough to be grouped with all my friends, but the thought of working with Freddy Jones seemed to cancel out such happy feelings. I was happy, yet simultaneously, I felt cursed.  
  
Right now, we were just going in rounds, insulting Freddy to tick him off. He wasn't showing anything, but we all knew he was seething, at least I did. I could practically feel his urge to rip us all to pieces, but I had fun anyway. Zack was saying something about his hair, and Lawrence was giggling lightly. To contribute to this little scam, I made some snide remark, something about natural beauty.  
  
I was a bit scared actually.  
  
I was afraid of the reaction Freddy would give us. I've known for a fact, based on all the years I've known him that his temper is one of the worst I have ever experienced. I have never known a single person to get around his catapulting fury.  
  
I, being the meek and mellow Katie around other people, got my reputation for being a girl who's easy to talk to, yet easy enough to push around, but I knew that that wasn't me. Around my friends I was a little more energetic, I cracked some jokes, and I fooled around, pretty much like any other normal kid... I had a temper, yet it didn't easily go off. Something had to push me completely over the edge until I blew up. Zack and Lawrence were pretty much like me, while Summer, whose stress got the better of her sometimes, tended to obsess on tiny matters and flaws.  
  
I had memorized the characteristics of my friends, Zack wouldn't really speak up, unless he was spoken to, eager to voice out his feelings, or, like in this case, get back at someone. Lawrence wouldn't speak up, unless we were there with him. And well Summer would just speak up. I admired how bold she was, yet it got a bit scary sometimes.  
  
But Freddy Jones...  
  
I had no idea how he truly dealt with people. I knew that he always played Mister Tough-Dude, yet how did he really deal with people, if he chose to loose the contrived travesty he took on from the early stages of his evanescent youth. After sometime he apparently added to his role as Mister Tough-Dude, he then became Desirable Bad Boy; he became popular with girls in other grades.  
  
I don't even know what pressed him to take on the image of a bully, for that matter...I have barely idea why I became the shy loner in class, but from the early stage as a loner, I evolved. I had friends, great friends. I evolved from being the shy loner, to the just the shy, quiet girl, which had to be better than shy loner.  
  
I don't even know why we have all these titles and trademarks? I mean, where exactly did I get 'shy loner' and "Mister Tough-Dude?" I think the fumes from Jones's hair gel are polluting my brain.  
  
Come to think of it, ever school, every class has a controversy and a travesty to make those who feel good, look good, and those who feel bad, look even worse. Even in such a prominent school such as Horace Green, the way you felt and the way you carried yourself would judge you in the end, unless you managed to escape the dark conqueror, which is nearly everyone's downfall that is "Self-Consciousness."  
  
Although most of this used to happen in only the higher levels, some of it has begun seeping into the lower levels, such  
  
And seemingly enough, the teachers and principals all thought it was healthy, regular behavior that would help in the real world of even more scamming your way to the top, but they didn't realize, or perhaps they forgot, the pain of the students who got lost amongst the sea of other popularity-grubbers. They forget those who are barely ready for the harsh world of lies and deceit.   
  
The popularity grabbing worked for some, yet most of the other people fell into the dark abyss that is known as disapproval. Yet somehow I managed to free myself from that stinging pain and find solace with my great friends.   
  
I wondered if Freddy felt the immense pull that the students were forcing on him...  
  
It is easy to get lost in the climb for the high reaches of popularity, the shouts and tears it takes to survive, and the inevitable fall that comes in the end...  
  
***  
  
"Alright children, please face me." Miss Dunham said to them. The fifteen students turned their faces towards her, "Now that you all have a basis on what you are to do with your topic, I would like to request something else from you." Audible growls fell on the students, "You will all have to eat lunch together. I have assigned each group a specified table in the lunch room, with your group names."  
  
Summer raised her hand in the air, "Excuse me, Miss Dunham, what are our group names?" She asked their teacher after a few minutes silence.  
  
"You will find out later Miss Hathaway," She said smiling at Summer, clearly giving her the 'favorite student' look, "In addition to my reminders and requests, I will require you to keep those desks in that manner until the project is over," She continued talking, "I will only let you all work on your projects during our homeroom and our break time, anymore questions?"  
  
"How-"  
  
"Raise your hand when you wish to ask a question Mister Jones," Miss Dunham said austerely.  
  
He rolled his eyes discreetly, but raised his hand anyway, "Excuse me, Miss Dunham," He imitated Summer, who glared at him fiercely, "I was wondering how long this project would take, like maybe a few days, right?"  
  
"Mister Jones, this is an investigatory project, the first of two or three," Freddy's eyes bulged out at that statement, "This investigatory project will take a month and a week, so I suggest that you get used to your group. Anymore questions?" There was no response, "Alright then, let's get on with our math..."  
  
***  
  
I swear that woman was Ms. Mullins, subtracted by about five though. It wasn't that I hated school, but I didn't love it to death. I was good at math, yet I wasn't really up to it at that moment. Summer, who was right across me, was listening intently to the teacher as she reviewed us on what we had learnt last year and scribbling neat notes as fast she possibly could. Katie listened to Miss Dunham with far-away eyes. Lawrence was listening to the teacher, all of his attention directed to her. And well Jones was just staring at the ceiling, rapping his fingers on his desk.  
  
I tried to listen to the teacher; I was always good at concentrating during school hours, yet that annoying rapping from Freddy's fingers. His neck craned towards Freddy and gave him a reprimanding glare, Freddy, who made eye contact with me, just stared at him with an incredulous look and shrugged, continuing his incessant drumming. I just grunted and strained to listen to the teacher.  
  
...rap...rap...rap...  
  
An unremitting tapping echoed in my ears. I eyed his fingers with great distaste once more, but he did not notice. I was never able to sleep with a dripping faucet or a bird pecking at my window, and this rapping this was invading my brain.  
  
...tap...tap...tap...  
  
I couldn't take it anymore. I turn to my side once more to face Freddy, and he looked at me and gave me a look of clear annoyance. But I cut him before he could talk. I put a rough hand on his fingers, "Desist." I told him through gritted teeth.  
  
Freddy looked at me with complete disgust, probably at the fact that my 'grimy' hands were marring his 'perfectly manicured' ones. He shoved my hands of, but he continued strumming his hands on his desk, much to my annoyance. I sighed angrily.  
  
It would be hell working with him...  
  
***  
  
After how many grueling hours of lessons, they were free for recess! The students were surprised and probably outraged that Miss Dunham had worked them like that on their first day of school, yet some people, whose names shall be kept secret, enjoyed the jumpstart on work.  
  
Most of the kids were glad that Miss Dunham didn't press them to go with their groups during recess. They went off with their own little cliques and groups and ran outside the stuffy classroom out to the grassy outside.  
  
I let my friends go ahead of me. I was getting my notebook from under my table, and deliberately delaying myself, so I allowed them to go. I didn't really feel like going with anyone this recess period. The thought of being alone was so comforting right now, for some reason. This day seemed so perfectly filled with inspiration, a perfect day for writing. I do my best writing alone, so I sort of wanted this time for myself.  
  
I placed my precious notebook beneath my arm, with my other hand twirling my pen carelessly. I had a spot in Horace Green. I knew that everyone had heard of it, it was the big willow tree in the far corner of the field. It was rumored to be haunted, but when I decided to venture up there I found that it was serene and secluded.  
  
...Perfect for me...  
  
I walked towards the field behind Horace Green, I knew that Summer and the others would be in the field in front of the building, but they would forgive me later. I walked towards the far edge of the field. People were giving me strange looks, with the knowledge that the older levels occupied this field, but I ignored them and rushed to my spot.  
  
I slightly cursed that it was so far away, I couldn't really deal well with peer pressure and so much attention. It will all wash away once I reach the tree. I always told myself that when I got too self-conscious.  
  
I had never actually given a name to the tree. I had always just either called it 'the tree' or 'my spot.' I had never actually thought of giving the tree a name. I mean, it's been around longer than I have, probably since the founding of this school, giving it a name would be like sacrilege to the legacy of the school or something. I wonder if there were students in the past who were like me, finding solace in the most unexpected places.  
  
As I walked, or sprint as it may have appeared, I found a couple of people surround the tree. A lot of older boys crowding over something or someone, and they were laughing their heads off. I was shocked, so I sprinted faster. No one usually hung around the space where the tree was planted  
  
I was at a wide enough distance from the large crowd when I stopped running and sat inconspicuously on a bench. They were a group of boys, but they weren't the high-ranking, grade-grubbers. They were the less disciplined ones to put it in a mild manner. I didn't really want to go near them, for fear of what would happen, but I did want to know what they were doing to the tree. I strained my ears to listen to what they were saying between the grunts and shouts.  
  
"...Go on, do it already...!" A boy's voice said in an urging manner. He spoke again after a few impatient seconds, "...Oh come on! Move it before Mullins sees..."   
  
"...Hey shut up! I'm working as fast as I can..." A strangely familiar voice snapped back to the impatient boy.  
  
"...Dude, I swear bringing that army knife was the coolest thing you've done this year...!" Hold it, I know that voice, could it be some boy in the class?  
  
The same voice that snapped at the other one retorted again, clearly pissed off, "Frankie, this is the first day of the school year!" My eyes widened; of course it was Frankie, the same gruff, yet childish voice. My eyes went even wider.  
  
Then that had to mean...  
  
"Hey Jones, hurry it up will you!" Another voice went loud enough for me to hear, his voice sounded much older than the others, "The others will notice that were huddled up for something, obviously big! Some of the relatively smart ones are going to come up. And when they do see what's going on, they'll probably blab to Mullins!"  
  
"Just wait up dude!" The voice a while ago said in irritation, "The wood is hard! And besides, I didn't ask you to form a 'protective wall' around me!"  
  
"Freddy, just move it along!"  
  
"Alright, alright..."  
  
I was seething mad. Some idiot, who happened to be Freddy Jones, was carving something over the tree so historical and weathered with age! I was boiling with anger. I just couldn't sit there any longer...  
  
"Freddy Jones!!!"  
  
A coat of tears was covering my eyes as I leered upwards. The crowd went rigid in surprise and swiveled backwards to see who had just yelled out, leaving an exposed Freddy Jones, crouching at the base of the tree with a knife in his hands and the etched letters, "M, U, L, L, I, and N," on the wood.  
  
"Katie?" He went to his feet and walked to me as if he was uncertain and embarrassed by my presence, "What are you doing here?"  
  
"I think I should ask you the same question Jones," my voice was unsteady, yet I knew that he felt the anger coming from me, "What on earth do you think you are doing with the tree?" I asked him dangerously. The boys behind him began snickering mercilessly, I flushed a dark shade of red, but I tried to keep my face as steady as possible.  
  
"What do you care Katie, is Hathaway rubbing off her teacher's pet mentality on to you?" He snapped at me, putting all his defenses, "Now go away, back to your pathetic friends, and leave me alone!" He swung himself back to the tree in a swaggering, yet pissed motion. The hand with the knife swung in the air, and before I knew it, I grabbed his arm, dropping everything in my hands.  
  
"Katie, what the hell are you doing!?" He yelled at me, his 'friends' were guffawing even more now, "Let go of me!" He shouted and tried to jerk his arm away from my two-handed grasp, but I held on.  
  
"Give me the knife Jones!"  
  
"NO!" He grunted loudly and with one last attempt he swung his arm as hard as he could with his remaining strength, catching me off guard. I staggered backwards, and fell to the grass beneath me, releasing his arm; then I felt a cool metal slide down my left cheek. And then a warm liquid took its place.  
  
I slowly brought my hand up to my cheek and felt a warm, thick wetness. I looked at my fingers, only to find the presence of the dark rich color of blood, and there that lay on the ground beside me was his army knife, the edge stained by a wet redness.  
  
I looked up to him; my tears were threatening to break loose. He looked shocked. His eyes were wide and his mouth agape. The group behind him looked stunned as well, but somehow none of the other people in the field noticed.  
  
I suddenly felt an immense pressure topple over me. I forced myself to stand up, using all of the strength I could.   
  
And I ran away...  
  
***  
  
Okay, that probably wasn't the best chapter in the world, but the ending is pretty dramatic, I guess. I don't really know if it is predictable or anything, but I'm going out of my way just to create some twists. Speaking of predictability, something is going to happen in the upcoming chapters that most fanfiction writers do. I'll leave it up to you to find out what it is, but believe me. What I will be doing has happened so many times, yet what I will be doing with the predictability is to mold it into something, well, unpredictable. Man, I sound horrible, don't I? Anyway, I know that I kinda made Freddy appear as some kind of delinquent, but I told you, I'm all about twists. And even if some of them are kinda out of character, leave it up to the story, why don't you? So, I really hope that you enjoyed this latest installment of my School of Rock story. Please don't forget to review, and I will update as soon as I possibly can! 


	4. Aftermath of the Episode

Hello people, it's me again... Yeah, I bet you aren't all that thrilled about seeing me again, but anyway, here is the latest installment of my story. I am going to be doing something most writers do, yet I'm not going to do it the way they do it, if you understand what I am saying. I'm not entirely sure when I'll be doing it, but I'm pretty sure that I will. I'm probably going to do it in the next chapter or something. I don't really know if the last chapter was the best I've written, definitely the most dramatic so far, but I'm not quite sure about its quality. I guess "impromptu-ness" can be a bad thing sometimes... especially when you have writer's block. So, don't forget to review. Hope you all enjoy the story!  
  
Chapter4  
  
Aftermath of the Episode  
  
As the knife slid down the Katie's cheek the world seemed to slow down, prolonging the moment, scribbling it into my mind, bestowing on to me the horrid memory for all eternity. I saw the metal penetrate her skin as it flew from my grasp. I saw the blood seeping out like a slow poison waiting to devour you. I saw my army knife, gleaming underneath its bloodstained edge. But then I saw the look on her face, one of pure terror, hatred, and fear...  
  
I felt her emotions as she laid there in the grass, dumbfounded as we all had been. I saw the tears glisten in her eyes. I saw her run away from me in fear and anger. I saw the all the mistakes I had committed in my life all in a moment...  
  
I stood there, body not moving, and my face was in the same stunned position. My friends were whispering loudly, grunting here and there. They were probably talking about what had just happened, and what exactly went on. Gossiping would have been an appropriate term.  
  
I swear, even the toughest boys could act like teenage valley-girls...  
  
I heard big footsteps on the damp grass; someone had put their hand on my shoulder. Without any need to guess, I already knew that it was Frankie, "Hey Freddy dude, are you okay?" He asked me cautiously, there could have been a hint of genuine concern in his voice.  
  
I had to save face here, "Yeah of course," I said my voice was a bit scathing, "I wasn't the one whose cheek got sliced!" I let out a weak laugh, but it was strong enough to make him believe that I wasn't disturbed. He continued talking about something, but an angry thought filled my head.  
  
Saving face? I can't believe what I just thought of doing, and what I just did as well. How could I think of saving face when someone I've know my entire school life was just cut on the cheek by my army knife?  
  
Another guy stepped up to me, he was some years older, but an okay guy nonetheless. His name was Drell, or maybe Del, probably something like that. He was popular in his level. His longish, brown hair was slicked back like all of them, yet Miss Mullins gave up on reprimanding him about Horace Green's dress code. His sleeves were rolled back and his trousers were torn in several places. His face was visibly attractive, yet he was a few beers short of a six-pack... If you catch my drift, "Hey dude, what just happened now?" He asked me lazily, as if he didn't care, but I could all sense their burning curiosity.  
  
"You got eyes, right?" I snapped back, clearly not in the best mood, "Or were you just zoned out the entire time," It wasn't a good insult, but I was mad and I didn't really want to be creative at that point. Frankie shifted uneasily in his shoes. Drell or Del or whatever his name is flinched at me tone.  
  
"Hey dude," He put his hands up in a defensive manner, "I just wanted to know man, and give you my... what do you call them again?" He scratched his head, definitely not the smartest kid in the field, "Condomelons? Consolonces? Oh yeah, condolences..."  
  
I rolled my eyes discreetly, but I only grunted in reply. Another one of the guys went up to talk to me directly. His real name was Arnold, but he forced us to call him by his surname, Crisp, "Freddy, who was the girl," he asked wryly, obviously not noticing my bad mood, "Cousin, friend, old girlfriend?"  
  
You would have never guessed that Crisp was one of the so-called 'badboys.' His hair was cut short and gelled back, his uniform was always ironed and pressed to perfection, his back stood straight, and he wore glasses! I mean, some of us, unlike Drell, or whoever he was, were forced to stick to the dress code, but of course we rebelled in little ways, for instance, I didn't tuck in my shirt, I sometimes wore a crumpled uniform, my face would have dirt streaked on it, you know... the works. But Crisp, stuck to the dress code like a man, nearing death, but hanging on to life, yet somehow he was a tough guy and many of the girls found him... 'Desirable...'  
  
"None of those," I answered curtly, holding my fist back from hitting all the people who were currently pissing me off, "She's just some nosey girl, one of the losers in our class, she's friends with Mooneyham." My voice was as sharp as the knife.  
  
"Ah, the Mooning Ham," Crisp said, his high-pitched voice went abnormally higher, "Pity, for now and forever she has been tainted by the evil disease that Zack Mooneyham passes around to all who get close to him, which we fear and know as, "Dorkitis." He bowed to embellish the dramatic effect, his glasses nearly slipping off.  
  
I gave him a threatening glare, "Are you trying to make me feel better, Arnold?" I used his first name just to piss him off, but no one could miss the spite that my retort was full off. Frankie and whatever his name is looked surprised at me.  
  
"Hey man," His big hand pulled my shoulder back gruffly, "Don't go there," His voice was a bit seething, but then his tone went back to his usually 'chipper' self, "If you want me to back off, just say it!" I had been waiting for someone to say something like that.  
  
"Then BACK OFF!!!" I yelled at him, and then I stomped away, leaving the guys confused and a bit irritated. As much they thought that I needed 'condomelons' I really wanted to be alone at that moment. My emotions were spinning at an alarming rate and my heart was pounding as hard as a jackhammer. I ran out of the field too. I didn't really know where I was going, but I let my feet do the thinking and let my mind do the running.  
  
I had reached the end of the field. I had reached the side of the school; there were no people there so I sank to the cement floor. I was out of breath and out of focus. I tried to fully comprehend what had just happened, yet even the thought did not want to register in my brain. 'Okay, Freddy, backtrack,' I told myself as I ran my hands through my sleek hair. It became disheveled and unruly.  
  
I replayed the event in my mind, trying to separate 'that' from 'that.' I didn't actually hurt her, did I? I mean she grabbed by arm. I jerked away, but the knife flew away from my hands and just happened to slice her cheek. I didn't make the army knife slide down her cheek!  
  
Good God, she was probably blabbing what happened to her friends. And if she did blab, Hathaway would blab too! She would blab to Dunham who would then blab to an even higher power, Miss Mullins. Zack and Lawrence would be extremely pissed off at me, not that I would care, yet word would get around and I'd probably loose a third of my school fan base.  
  
Why am I thinking about my fan base? Why do I have to be so trivial? I can't think about myself right now, but this sensitivity thing was a tad new to me...  
  
As she ran, I remember tears, sliding down her cheeks, mixing with the blood of her abrasion. I wonder if anyone else in the field had seen her and what had just happened. I doubt it, since superficiality is dominant in this school, but the fact still remained that someone else may have seen the little episode.  
  
What am I thinking? Why would I care if Katie was crying, my conscious should be clear. I mean I did not personally cut her cheek. I never meant to and I did not. Who cares if she told them? I would have the guys backing me up. They know what had happened and I'm sure that they would back me up. As for the tree, I could just scratch it off, or maybe cover it up with some dirt.  
  
I was safe, I had witnesses, a cover-up, and the girl couldn't lie about what had happened. I doubt that Katie can lie compellingly, whereas I can lie, as if it's breathing, sleeping, and eating! I had no problems, none at all...  
  
...My conscience is completely free...  
  
I decided to go back to my friends. I turned around the wall and ran back to the site of the incident. As I neared the tree I found that my friends had gone off, but my army knife was still there and some blue notebook with a pen some inches beside it.  
  
I ran to the discarded things. I picked my knife up and retracted the blade. Then I walked towards the notebook, there was no sort of label or print on the notebook. It wasn't a notebook from Horace Green. It was just some plain, blue, spiral notebook. I picked it up along with the pen and my eyes widened.  
  
It took me some moments to realize who had owned the notebook. Who else was at the tree just a few moments ago? It was obvious that none of my friends had 'notebooks,' but Katie probably did.  
  
The moment flashed in my mind once more. The knife flying downwards, the look on her face, and the way she ran. I relived everything. I vaguely remember her holding anything, but she had dropped something as she ran, and the pen and notebook must have been that.  
  
I couldn't leave it here; that would only complicate my conscience. But how could I return it to her, she was obviously distressed. A confrontation with her would only make matters worse. I studied the notebook once more, it was worn, the edges were frayed; it was clearly precious to Katie, but I couldn't drag my feet over to her and return this ratty notebook. I just slipped the notebook and pen into the bag I had brought with me. I just couldn't do what I had to...  
  
Even if me and my conscience suffered...

* * *

"Were is Katie?" complained Summer, they had spent ten minutes waiting for Katie, and they had twenty minutes of recess left, "I mean, it can't take a person this long to get a notebook from their desk!" She wasn't exactly mad, yet she was leaning towards immense frustration. They were seated behind one of the trees in the front field. The tree wasn't in such a crowded spot, so they took refuge there quite often.  
  
Zack who was currently fixated with a pebble answered back lamely, "Maybe she got detained somewhere," He kicked the pebble with force, it flew off to the mass of talking students, "Some person is probably talking to her right now, maybe a teacher or an old student," He shrugged, "I have no idea!"  
  
"Well we have only nineteen and twenty-five seconds left of recess," Summer cried, obviously stressing, "Oh my God, now we only have nineteen and twenty-three, now it's twenty-two! Twenty-one! Katie where are you!?" Summer was sobbing maniacally.  
  
The boys weren't sure if she was acting or if she really was panicking, "Summer, I do not think that it is the best idea to be to so paranoid at the age of ten," Lawrence suggested helpfully. Zack stifled a giggle.  
  
Summer took in a deep breath, "I know," She said, her voice was reasonably calmer, "I'm not usually like this, but I guess Freddy Jones fired up my anger and my stress-level," She concluded theoretically, but there was a humorous tone in her voice.  
  
"Summer, chill," Zack said, plopping down against the tree, beside Summer, "It's only the first day of school, don't get your stress-level and blood pressure too high just yet, you have about two hundred more days of this!"  
  
"I know what you mean Zack," She admitted, "School is like an unending cycle, but don't get me wrong! You all know that I love going to school, but I'm like every other kid too," She said, remembering the two girls who walked past her house, "School gets tiring and I hate what the other students see me as, even if there is a bit of truth in it..."  
  
"Who cares about what other students see us as?" Zack burst out, clearly a bit peeved at the certain topic, "I mean, they see me as a lackluster dork with absolutely no social life, they see Lawrence as a monotonous Asian dork, no offense intended man," Lawrence nodded curtly, "And they see you as a teacher's pet, but what does it matter?" Zack asked Summer plainly, "We are what we see ourselves as," Zack, obviously profound today, told them persuasively. He didn't usually open up, yet today he seemed fired up as well.  
  
She pulled her legs up to her chest and hugged them tightly. Her voice was weak when she answered. "It just hurts so much sometimes..."  
  
"Did anything happen to happen some time before Summer?" Lawrence asked her with genuine concern and careful cautiousness. That was the great thing about Lawrence, he wasn't like the other boys, obviously since he made friends with Summer and Katie; he actually showed that he cared about the people who he was close to. He wasn't even like Zack, who could be even colder than all the boys at Horace Green.  
  
"It's nothing," her voice cracked audibly, "Some girls said some stuff about me, that's all." Zack and Lawrence gave her a look, both knowing that there was more to it than that, "They said stuff about how I acted in school, and that I was so overbearing or something like that," She buried her head inside, "They said that they were glad that they weren't classmates with me and that that I didn't have any friends!" Her voice came out muffled, yet her message stood clear enough.  
  
"Well they are Dough-minded Deluded Ditzes," Zack spat out, "Summer, why obsess over this, when you know that in the future, you'll be the one who everyone's going to be begging from! They, and all the other people in this school, are probably going to be working for you."  
  
"Yeah, but Zack," She began, her voice unsteady, yet she persevered to keep it strong, "We are still here. We are still stuck as kids. That future won't come until how many more years, how many more insults, and how many more nasty looks?" She raised her head to meet the two off them, "Even if I can terrorize them in the future, the pain won't last as long as the pain they've given me from the horrible memories that replay in my head every single day..."  
  
Her face began to contort, but she forced a smile on her face. She closed her eyes tightly, forcing all the unshed tears back within her. When she opened her eyes, she saw the concerned faces of Lawrence and Zack, and she smiled a real smile, "Thanks you guys," She murmured quietly, yet she filled into it all the gratitude she could muster.  
  
"Don't worry guys," Zack reassured them, "We're better than those Flippant Finicky Fakers!"  
  
"Zack, I don't think that you should exploit your use of alliterations," Lawrence told him in a forced monotone voice.  
  
Summer and Zack laughed at his comment, "Hey, I think we should go now, we have seven minutes left," Summer announced, checking her watch. They picked up the things they brought with them and headed for the doors that would bring them inside the great building.

* * *

Miss Dunham re-entered the class and put on all her sugar-coated cheeriness, "How was recess?" She asked them in her most chipper tone. Most of the students had all filed in, but some desks were empty.  
  
"Fine, Miss Dunham," The children answered in chorus.  
  
"Great!" She clapped her hands together and smiled again, "Now Summer Hathaway, aren't you the factotum of this class?" Summer nodded enthusiastically, "We had no chance to take attendance a while ago, so we shall be doing it now," She handed Summer a sheet of paper. Summer bounded from her seat with her clipboard and pen. She fastened the leaf of paper to it, "I'll give you a new piece of paper every week."  
  
Summer nodded and practically frolicked up to the front of the class, "Alright then..." She began with the attendance, announcing names and ticking them as she went along down the list.  
  
Zack leaned towards Lawrence, "Hey," He whispered, waving his arm to catch Lawrence's attention, "Look over there," he pointed to Katie's desk, which was conveniently empty, "Where do you think Katie is?"  
  
Lawrence shrugged, "She has to have a plausible reason," He concluded, right before he answered to Summer, who had called his name out, "Maybe she was sent to Miss Mullins's office for some reason." He offered.  
  
"Miss Mullins doesn't give detention on the first day of school," Zack answered reasonably, "And besides, Katie is not the type to get in trouble with Miss Mullins or any other of the teachers."  
  
"Okay, check," Summer flicked another empty box with her pen, "Now, Katie?" She looked up from her clip board and scanned the class for Katie's familiar face, but her desk was left vacant. Miss Dunham approached the space beside Summer.  
  
"Does anyone know where Katie is?" Miss Dunham asked her class in a serious tone.  
  
"No, Miss Dunham..." They answered in unison.  
  
"Well, who are the friends of Katie?" She asked them. Zack and Lawrence shrugged at each other, but raised their hands anyway. Summer did as well, but Miss Dunham didn't notice her, "Alright then, Zack, Lawrence, do you know why your friend, Katie, is not present right now?"  
  
"No, Miss Dunham," The two answered together.  
  
The door creaked open and a small voice came, "Miss Dunham," An unmistakable voice was present, "I am sorry that I am late," The door opened wider and Katie stepped unsteadily though the door frame.  
  
The class suddenly sat rigid in their seats and silent gasps resounded within the room. Katie stepped in. A long bandage was stretched across her left. The bandage's whiteness was stained by the unambiguous color of blood.  
  
"I went to the school nurse," She said, handing Miss Dunham the nurse's notice. She bit her lip as she waited for the teacher's reaction. Miss Dunham's eyes quickly scanned the nurse's note and then looked at Katie with teacher's concern.  
  
"Oh my, Katie," She exclaimed, clearly shocked, "How did you get that awful wound?" Miss Dunham walked closer to Katie and put her head in her hands and examined her face very carefully. Katie winced as she was pulled forward.  
  
"I tripped and the edge of a drinking fountain caught my cheek," Katie said softly, yet it was loud enough for them to hear. She couldn't force a smile at Miss Dunham, it probably hurt too much to even try.  
  
"Well are you okay dear?" She asked, gently stroking Katie's face. She nodded hesitantly, "Well then, get back to your seat and we'll start on our History lessons, after Summer finishes up the roll call," She then added after some thought, "You may rest for a while if you want, dear." Katie nodded again and quickly returned to her seat, refusing any eye contact with anybody. She planted her gaze firmly at the chalkboard.  
  
"Alright, Katie is here," Summer noted, regaining her momentum. She finished up the roll call, smiled graciously at Miss Dunham, and scurried back to her seat. Miss Dunham resumed her place at the front of the class and began teaching.  
  
A few certain students zoned out.

* * *

I ran. I can't believe that I ran, but I did. It seemed like the most Katie- like thing to do. And well I am Katie, and I did run. And now I'm repeating myself? What is happening to me? This is by far the worst first day of school that I have ever had! I was now, inside the school building, barely ten minutes before class started again. I was crouched in front of a wall and my head was buried underneath my arms. The sleeves of my uniform were soaked in blood.  
  
I was crying.  
  
Why did this have to happen? I can almost imagine the boys back there laughing their heads off. I can imagine Freddy Jones gloating and praising himself for making me cry. I can imagine him making my life harder for me.  
  
The worst part is that I can't even be angry at him in matters related to the wound. He didn't command the army knife to cut me in the cheek, but I had a right to be angry at him for what he did to the tree. He had no right to deface something so historical and culturally-enriching to this school, as much as it seemed like a prison.  
  
He was probably smirking at the fact that I couldn't bring myself to fess up on what really happened. I didn't have the courage to tell everyone the truth behind the bandage, and I'm sure he was soaking up all the glory within it.  
  
I don't know why I can't tell anyone... I know that the only person stopping me from doing so is me. Although Freddy may threaten me, I'm practically untouchable. If I can't get him for the wound, I can get him for vandalism, but I had no actual evidence. Perhaps if I get him to confess, while I'm recording him secretly...  
  
What am I thinking? I couldn't do it. For some reason, I didn't want to see him crash and burn. Even if he had burned me down so many times before, I didn't really want to do the same thing to him. After all that he worked on to gain his image, after all those years of hard work, after millions of days of uphill climbing, he became what he is now. Even if I didn't like what he was, I still couldn't do it. He had spent so many years painstakingly working to become what he was, I know that if he lost his image, he would loose everything.  
  
I wanted to get even with him, not crush him and all he had worked for...  
  
Suddenly, I heard tapping shoes. They were coming closer. I looked up and saw Miss Mullins hovering over me, but as soon as she saw my face, the reprimanding look on her face turned to one of concern and shock.  
  
"Katie," Wow, she knew my name, "What happened to your face," She offered me her hand, and I had to reluctantly take it, "Why are you crying," This was a big change from her usual cold and strict demeanor.  
  
The skin on my face blanched, I couldn't tell her the truth, but I hadn't thought of an excuse yet, but somehow I managed to, "I was tripped on my way out to recess. I slipped and my face got scratched my one of the water fountains," I could never really lie well, but since I was sobbing, Miss Mullins couldn't tell if I was telling the truth or not.  
  
"Would you like to go to the nurse, Katie?" Her voice was nice and concerned.  
  
I had to nod. She led me, by the arm, to the school nurse's clinic. I was glad that I was the only student in the corridors. They were still outside, enjoying recess. In fact, I don't even remember how I got inside the school building.  
  
After a minute or so in silence we reached the school nurse's clinic. Horace Green actually had more than one school nurse; one of them was the usual school nurse-type. Her name was Daisy, and she had curly, blonde hair, blue, eyes, such an airy voice, and was insanely benign. While the other one was Keith; who was a college drop-out. He was tall, lanky, and skinny. He read sci-fi comics, brought fast food to the school, hardly ever shaved, but used so many products on his hair, that it was probably his best feature, listened to rock music on his Discman, brought his skateboard and dirt bike to the school occasionally and was generally a bad influence to the children. He only stayed because his father was on the board of directors.  
  
Unfortunately for Katie, it was Keith's shift to work at the clinic. He opened the door to Miss Mullins and Katie, "Oh," He slurred, surprised nonetheless, "Yo wassup Miz Mullinz," He then noticed me, "Oh hey there dude! Kelly is it?" We went inside and he made me sit on a chair, I doubt he noticed my wound.  
  
Miss Mullins obviously had a strong distaste for Keith. I answered him, "No, my name is Katie." My sobbing had decreased and I could almost talk normally now, "Mister Keith," I added as an afterthought.  
  
"Hey dude, no need for that fancy pansy 'Mister' crap," Miss Mullins flinched as he spoke, "Do you, like, know Frank-o, and the Jonesmister?"  
  
I stiffened as he said those two names, "Yes," My voice was even more unsteady now, "They're my classmates."  
  
"Yeah, for real?" he asked me with an extremely high voice. I swear that I could hear Miss Mullins twitching, "Those two are like the coolest kids in your grade. They totally rock. I mean those two boys are geniuses compared to me!"  
  
"Now, Keith that may go without saying" hissed Miss Mullins, "But Katie needs some taking care of, if you haven't noticed..."  
  
Did Miss Mullins just insult someone?  
  
"Oh really, Mullinator!" exclaimed Keith in an even higher voice, "Well, what's the matter little girlie?" He swaggered towards me and slouched in place. I could tell that Miss Mullins really didn't like being called "Mullinator."  
  
"Can't you see what is wrong with her?" She practically yelled at him. Maybe what she said came out wrong, but I suppose her intentions were good enough, "Katie's cheek is bleeding!" He seemed unfazed by her outburst, "Just bandage the wound up and you would be able to say that you actually did your job well today and you'll feel good about yourself!"  
  
"But Mullins, my man," He said in an idiotic voice, "To say that you have worked," he began off, "You would actually have to work..."  
  
Miss Mullins looked at him like she wanted to wrangle him and gouge his eyeballs with a blunt spoon, "Listen," Her voice was reasonably calmer, "Just clean and dress Katie's wound and I will give you a bonus!" she offered. Keith perked up at the sound of more money.  
  
"Alright then Mullins, old man!" he happily bounded off to work.  
  
He got some cotton balls, covered them with alcohol (A/N: You do know what kind of alcohol I'm talking about, right?), and began dabbing at my wound carefully, but it was way too painful. I screamed as loud as I could every time the cotton ball came in contact with my skin. After he had cleaned the wound and washed the blood that had dripped on my face, he got a strip of cloth, some gauze, some other materials, and began to bandage my wound. After some more minutes, he had finished.  
  
"Now Katie," he said, his voice actually had some gravity in it, "The wound is going to bleed for some time. It isn't very deep, but it's deep and long enough, so be careful all right," He retrieved a kit from within one of the many white drawers, "This kit has all the stuff you'll need to change the dressing of your wound." He told her, "You change the bandage everyday, you can ask your parents to help, and don't worry. There are instructions inside the kit." I nodded as he handed me the little, white box, and a nurse's note.  
  
Then he faced Miss Mullins, "Hey you're right Mulley!" she grimaced as he used another horrible nickname, "It does feel good to know that you did something good," then he shrugged, "I think I'll go to sleep now." with that he plunked right down to sleep on one of the beds they had at the clinic.  
  
Miss Mullins groaned and muttered something incoherent, but it was probably along the lines of, "Why does his father have to be on the board of directors?" Then she turned to me and took my arm, "Come on Katie, I'll bring you back to class."  
  
I nodded and pocketed the box, but I held the note in my hand, knowing that Miss Dunham would want it. Miss Mullins and I didn't talk at all during the walk. The corridors were empty again, since everyone was in class.  
  
We reached the classroom and Miss Mullins spoke to me, "Do you want me to accompany you inside, or do you want to go alone?"  
  
"I can go alone," I answered her steadily. My sobbing had disappeared and I was much calmer than before.  
  
"Alright then, be more careful next time Katie," Miss Mullins told me and began to walk off. I said my thanks and opened the door. I began to say that I was sorry for being late, or something like. I told her that I went to the nurse's and how I got the wound. I could tell that everyone was looking at me, and I hated it. I didn't like being the center of attention.  
  
She let me resume my seat and was being extremely nice, although I didn't know if she, or Miss Mullins were actually showing genuine concern, but I suppose it wasn't such a horrible thing to do on their part.  
  
I didn't look anywhere else besides the chalkboard and Miss Dunham. I didn't want to have to face the questioning looks and the quizzical glares that the others would give me. Summer would definitely ask a lot of questions, she would want to know the whole story. Zack would probably know that I wasn't telling the truth, while Lawrence would reprimand me with his silence. I wanted to prepare myself as much as possible by the barrage they would attack me with later  
  
I wondered if Freddy would approach me sometime later. But then again, he'd have to. We five were going to eat lunch together. He'd probably ask why I didn't rat him out, and then probably gloat, smirk, sneer, and snicker at the same time. He would be unbearable to eat lunch with after what had happened.  
  
I would have as little contact with him as I possibly could...

* * *

We were heading back to the classroom, me, Summer, and Lawrence. I had just told them that we shouldn't care about what other people perceived us to be, but somehow, I found it even harder to believe what I had just said.  
  
I just spoon-fed Summer and Lawrence a bunch of powerful words that had no meaning to me, but at least they helped Summer. Even if I couldn't completely accept what other people thought about me, maybe Summer or Lawrence could.  
  
It was obvious that people thought I was a quiet dork, who wasn't even the littlest bit excitement. I told myself before that I didn't care about whatever words they threw at me, but somehow those words got lost between the other broken promises and fabricated stories.  
  
I didn't actually completely know what made me boring? Was it my monotone voice? Was it was my unending reluctance? Was it my lack of noticeable emotion? Was it the fact that I was silent and brooding?  
  
If any other guy was like that, he would be welcomed with open arms into the supposed 'cool' group. But no, I'm not one of those guys who can expertly carry the cool look. I was just Zack Mooneyham...  
  
We entered the classroom and took our seats. We were one of the first people there, aside form Michelle, Eleni, and Frankie, who was conspicuously without Freddy. We filed into our seats and waited for the others to arrive.  
  
Tomika and Alicia entered, chatting animatedly. Marta followed close behind. Marco went inside, followed by Gordon and Leonard. Billy pranced inside and jumped inside his seat. Then after some minutes Freddy Jones stomped in with his usual chipper self.  
  
...Note the sarcasm...  
  
I scanned the room for Katie. She wasn't in the class room yet. Miss Dunham entered the classroom and began talking about some junk. She asked us, "How was recess?" A basic question for teachers all in all...  
  
"Fine Miss Dunham," We answered to her. That was a basic answer for students to their teachers.  
  
I blocked her out and rubbed my head, trying to calm my thoughts. I was too young to have these stressful thoughts. Couldn't they wait for some more years? I wonder if all kids have to be equipped to handle what's in store for the future. Unluckily for me, I had a sneak preview of what anguish the following years would bring me...  
  
I wasn't even a teenager but I already had the angst...

* * *

They had spent some hours listening to Miss Dunham lecture about American History, then they moved on to Science, afterwards they had Literature. The students participated well enough to keep Miss Dunham happy.  
  
After Billy had finished his very... interpretative... interpretative reading selection, Miss Dunham clapped her hands together and smiled at the obviously chipper boy, "That was excellent William, now why don't we hear from-"  
  
She was cut short by the clanging sound of the lunch bell, "Oh phooey! That darned lunch bell!" But she shrugged anyway, "Alright class, please go with your groups during lunch and you will find your table in the lunch hall. That specific table will be you and your group's table for as long as this project will last," She looked at their impatient faces, "You may have your lunch now. Goodbye class!"  
  
"Goodbye and thank you Miss Dunham," They answered robotically. She left the room and the students began to fix up their belongings, returning them to their desks, pocketing them, or bringing them out to drop them off at their lockers. They each went out with their groups of five.  
  
Zack, Summer, Katie, and Lawrence waited for Freddy, who was seemingly taking his time to tie his shoelaces, "Freddy will you just hurry it up!" Summer groaned, "We know that you aren't looking forward to lunch, but don't think that we don't hate the fact that we have to eat with you as well!"  
  
"Oh really?" he smirked as he swaggered over to them; "I thought that you would be honored to eat in my presence, after all I am the Freddy the Great!" He announced to them, he snickered loudly.  
  
"Can we please just go to the cafeteria before all hell breaks loose from your mouth," Zack snapped at Freddy, who grunted and followed reluctantly. They exited the classroom with Freddy dawdling behind them, talking amongst their selves, ignoring Freddy.  
  
"Hey wait up!" He complained, as the distance between them had increased. The other four stopped intolerantly and waited for him to catch up, "Man, I'm kinda getting the impression that you guys want to ditch me!" He smirked at his wise crack.  
  
"And we wouldn't want you to think that, now would we?" Zack muttered sardonically. Freddy rolled his eyes, but the others smiled slightly. They continued walking, Freddy tailing at their heels closer, in order to not loose himself within the mass of students.  
  
They reached the large swinging doors of the cafeteria, which were already opened, and went inside. They scanned the lunch room for one of the empty tables. They had found one, two tables apart from the teachers' table, and Miss Dunham was standing in the center of three tables. She saw them and waved them over.  
  
They scampered over to their teacher and waited for her instruction, "You will be staying in one of these three tables for as long as the project. Please do not remove the label I put on your name label," She said to them. They nodded and sat down on the only vacant table. Miss Dunham scurried away to the teacher's table.  
  
"WHAT!?!" yelled Freddy, the surrounding tables turned their heads. He lowered his voice, "We are going to be called "The Surf Smurfs!?" He hissed indignantly and incredulously and clearly very pissed.  
  
"It's a first come first serve thing," Frankie leaned his chair to them, "At least you didn't get "The Fairy Fighters!" He hissed to them, ensuring his group didn't hear him, "It was four against one. Tomika, Marta, Michelle, and even Billy wanted Fairy Fighters!"  
  
Freddy laughed at their misfortune, but groaned at their own. They headed towards the line for their food. He faced them, in attempt for at least some conversation. The line wasn't very crowded. They got their food and returned to the table.  
  
Summer sat beside Katie, who sat beside Lawrence, who reluctantly sat beside Freddy, who reluctantly sat beside Zack, who of course sat beside Summer, "I can't believe it..." mumbled Freddy, "We got stuck with "The Surf Smurfs."  
  
"I wonder what Miss Dunham's been smoking," muttered Zack. Freddy let out a wholehearted guffaw, while Katie and Lawrence giggled quietly.  
  
"Zack!" reprimanded Summer who looked abashed, "You aren't supposed to talk about teachers like that," She hissed at him. She shot her head around to see if any of the teachers or students had heard what Zack had said.  
  
"Oh come on Summer," Katie smiled slightly, "Let him have some fun..." she tried to grin, but winced as she did so.  
  
"Hey speaking of which Katie," remembered Lawrence, as she looked at Katie, "How did you really get the wound on your cheek, and why, weren't you at recess with us?" He asked her seriously. Zack leaned in closer to the table and sipped at his milk carton inquisitively.  
  
Summer added, "You can tell us anything, we're your friends..."

* * *

I gave into eye contact.  
  
When Lawrence asked me, my insides clenched. I had hoped that the issue of what really happened wouldn't come up, but my friends knew that I was a lousy liar. I shot my glance straight in front of me, and Freddy just happened to be sitting there.  
  
Our eye's made contact, although he seemed to be scowling and my brain was racing as fast as my blood pressure was. I felt his foot jerk under the table. I glared at him and he glared back.  
  
When Summer said, "...You can tell us anything, we're your friends..." I blanched. No, well yes, they were all my friends, but Freddy wasn't. And how could I tell them that he did it when he was right across me, scowling his heart out.  
  
"Well he isn't!" I said as forcefully as I could, pointing at Freddy, who was still scowling. He just looked at me again, rolled his eyes, and snorted, like a diseased warthog, but then again that's an insult to the warthog.  
  
"Katie, it doesn't really matter if Freddy's here," began Zack, "I mean, why, would he have any reason to tell anybody about what had happened to you?" But then he looked at Freddy who was seated beside him, "You aren't going to tell anybody, are you?" He asked Freddy, mustering all his seriousness.  
  
Freddy snorted again, only much louder, "No," He let out a snicker, "Why would anyone care about Katie anyway?" He was such a jerk... He knew that I couldn't tell the truth, so he was absorbing all the glory he could extract from that fact, "In fact, I'll just block all of you out!" He gave an extremely fake grin and pasted his gaze to the ceiling, while sipping his plastic cup of orange juice.  
  
I swear that I wanted to strangle him. This was a change from my attitude a while ago, but I couldn't care less. Summer jostled my attention again, "So, are you going to tell us?" She asked me, "I mean, the Nincompoop over there said that he wasn't going to tell anyone, and you know that we would never break the vows of secrecy and friendship!"  
  
I vaguely heard Freddy snort, "...girlish vows of secrecy and bull..."  
  
"Err," I mumbled. I wasn't good at creating stories on the spot. Although a while ago I got lucky, I doubted that I could pull it off again, "Well, I didn't go with you for recess, because I went to the back field instead, for some alone time, and well-"  
  
A shower of orange filled the center of the table. Luckily my food was salvaged. Freddy Jones had just spat, no, sprayed his orange juice at us. Now, that seed of memory would be either extremely embarrassing for us or most especially, it would be extremely embarrassing for him.  
  
"As I was saying," I continued on, not minding Summer's extremely disgusted look, Lawrence's eye twitching madly, or Zack trying not to react to what had happened, "I went to... one of the school's outer walls. I... tripped over one of those cracks and my face scratched one of the broken beer bottles that were there..." Well, it seemed plausible enough.  
  
"Oh yeah," Freddy grunted, after wiping his mouth, "Those probably belong to Keith... Was he the one who fixed you up?"  
  
If looks could kill, he would be writhing in agony right now. He was helping me lie, just to keep him safe, but what could I do? I had to play along, or else they would find out, and well, I don't really want to think of what would happen, "Yeah, Keith fixed me up," My voice sounded monotone, I tried to keep my anger for him at bay.  
  
"Keith, The guy with the hair?" asked Summer incredulously, "I can't believe that they haven't' kicked him out yet!" She fumed, "I went there last year for a cut on my hand. He taped a lollipop to my wound and gave me a bandage as a 'nice, tasty treat!'  
  
"He only does that when he's piss drunk!" protested Freddy, "And that's only at least two times a week!" He contented himself to picking at his food.  
  
"He still deserves to be booted out of Horace Green," muttered Summer. Then she faced the rest of us, "So, you guys we should meet at my house tomorrow, for the project right?" She asked us.  
  
"Why not?" said Lawrence. Zack and I just shrugged. We were all familiar with Summer's house.  
  
But of course Mister Jones had to have a say in the matter, "Wait, no one said anything about working at Hathaway's house!" He protested, "I can't go to your houses, what will the other people be saying? I mean, it's bad enough that I have to eat lunch with you cretins!"  
  
"Freddy," Summer began, restricting herself to a first-name basis with the idiot, "This is an investigatory project, meaning it will take some time and some effort to at least get a passing grade, but since we want more than a passing grade, we're going to have to put even more effort into our work. Therefore, we are going to have to work with each other after school, for at least four out of seven days. So, I think you'll have to get used to what other people are going to think about you!"  
  
"I am going to turn into a dork after all of this is over..."

* * *

So, here's the fourth chapter of the story. And people by the way, this story isn't only going to revolve around the "Pre-Dewey" era, but the "Dewey" and "Post-Dewey" era as well. These first chapters are "Pre-Dewey" of course. I hope you people like the story. I really don't know how it will evolve, but I hope it does evolve well enough for you people to like. Please don't forget to review... I hope you enjoy reading what I have written.


	5. Line Between Enmity and Friendship

Hey everyone... I'm back, sorry it took so long for me to update, but I guess I've been too lazy. Heh! Heh! It doesn't really matter. I guess this story has to go on, so here is chapter five anyway. In this chapter the students are going to be working on their projects. I don't really know how this chapter will actually end or progress, since I don't have any sort of story plan, but I hope it goes well enough for all of you people. I've been thinking up other ideas for other chapters and other stories, but I can't actually get to typing them down on the computer. I guess it's out of pure laziness... Sorry again, that my update was rather late... But the thing is I would like you to know that I DON'T HAVE a beta-reader, that's probably another reason for my slowness. Please don't forget to review!  
  
Chapter5  
  
Line between Enmity and Friendship  
  
I sighed in aggravation as I took of on my skateboard and headed for the address I scrawled on a piece of crumpled paper. I was headed for Hathaway's house, a place I clearly didn't want to be found at.  
  
It was the second day of the new school year and our classes had just finished. I had headed home and after some minutes of complaining to my parents, they shooed me out the door and told me to get to her house. I still couldn't believe that I was stuck working with 'them' on this project.  
  
We had gotten "The Greatest Geniuses of Time" as a topic. I wasn't all too ecstatic about the concept, but I guess we didn't get the worst topic of the lot, but then again I had no idea what Hathaway was going to make us do. I can spot some qualities that Hathaway and a slave driver share.  
  
I wasn't exactly sure where her house really was and I was actually hoping to get lost, and I just happened to conveniently forget my cell phone. I grinned to myself, thinking that my plan was foolproof. I would buy my time by just careening the sidewalks and alleys. If they asked me for the reason of my absence; I would tell them that I got couldn't find my way to her house, blaming her directions.  
  
I was a genius.  
  
Of course I would have to attend at least some of the other meetings that they would spring on me, but this one was a certain one that I really did want to miss. I didn't want to have to face a certain girl in my group.  
  
I had already eaten lunch with them, but that was inevitable. These meetings would suck the cool factor from me completely. I didn't really want to end up like Lawrence or Zack. The thought made my skin crawl to a new extent.  
  
I hit a pothole with my skateboard and staggered forward, my face smacking into a lamppost. I had received the annoying feeling of déjà vu. I groaned as I felt the pain from my newly forming bruise. For some reason, I was wipeout-prone in this new school year. I couldn't really care less, since no one I knew saw me. For some reason I've been a lot more conscious of what people thought of me...  
  
And I knew the reason why...  
  
Why was I feeling this way? I had asked myself that question a while back, but then I realized that I already knew the answer to that. She had made me realize who I was and how bad I had actually become. I had only entertained these thoughts this morning, yet they seemed to make sense so much.  
  
I felt so bad about what had happened. I found that I was actually mad that she hated me and thought that I was lower than the scum of the earth! I realized that the fact hurt me so much that she hated me.  
  
I shook my head clear of those thoughts. I had to get back to my old self. I knew that I would be subject to change someday, but now that I could see myself changing, I couldn't bring myself to say that I was wrong and that in the past I had committed some mistakes. I wasn't the one to do that. I had way too much pride, and that is really something I just can't get rid of yet.  
  
My pride is what gets me out of a lot of situations where there is potential for embarrassment. When Mooneyham found out about my little 'bathroom secret,' it was my pride that saved me. I knew that I had to go out in a big way, just to beat him, just to show him off. And I did.  
  
I shook my head once more continued gliding across a sidewalk. I didn't really want to think anymore. I looked up from the cement sidewalk and realized where I was. I looked across the street and found a CD store. I shrugged and went inside. What else was there to do?  
  
I crossed the street without thinking, numbing my mind from any sort of thought... as you can see it isn't working... I was boarding at an average speed, staring intently at the CD store, but then I felt a loud honk and a shrieking screeching ring in my ears.   
  
Then it dawned on me  
  
I swiveled myself around. There was a white van screeching to a halt, with its horn blaring at me. By sheer surprise I staggered on my board and fell to the ground. It stopped barely a few inches away from me. I was in a daze, but sadly enough it didn't prepare me for what was to happen next.  
  
The van's door swiveled open and as dazed as I was, I gasped at who came out...

* * *

"Lawrence!" yelled a disgruntled Freddy, who was sprawled on the floor, "What are you doing here?" He stared in shock as he saw his classmate step out of the white van that would have run him over.  
  
"Freddy?" asked Lawrence, who was rather shocked as well, "I am on the way to Summer's house. Are you headed there too?" He ran to Freddy. Another person stepped from the van. It was an Asian woman who was probably his mother.  
  
"Lawrence? Who is this? Do you know this boy?" asked his mother. She ran over to the two boys and crouched in apprehension. Freddy stared in shock at the two. And the wheels in his head were spinning in scheme.  
  
"Yes, mother." answered Lawrence, "This is Freddy Jones. He is my classmate and my group mate in the project I told you about."  
  
"Oh well, Freddy are you alright?" asked Lawrence's mother concernedly. She began looking over him worriedly.  
  
"I think so, I'm just a bit shook up," He answered uneasily. He lifted his left hand, it had a large bruise on its wrist, "But I think that I am alright. There aren't any visible damages anyway." He gave a weak laugh.  
  
"Well, why don't you go with us to Summer Hathaway's house?" asked Lawrence's mother kindly. Freddy nodded, knowing full well that he couldn't get out of this situation. Lawrence and his mother hoisted him up. They led him inside the van and dropped his skateboard inside as well.  
  
Freddy groaned silently. This wasn't part of the plan...

* * *

"Well, we are here," said Lawrence's mother as she drove alongside Summer's driveway. She pulled on the handbrake and the van came to a halt, "Lawrence, call me when you are ready to be picked up and Freddy," She faced the boy, "I am very sorry once again for what had happened."  
  
"It was no problem ma'am," Freddy grinned weakly, "It was my fault for not looking anyway," He put on his best face, one that made Lawrence feel like puking, "It was a pleasure to meet you and I am very grateful that you allowed me to ride in your van." He coated his voice with all the sweetness he could muster.  
  
"Now Freddy, it was all our pleasure," She smiled, buying into his act, "Now you boys run along and get your project ready." Lawrence gave her a quick peck and a curt goodbye, before swinging the door open and jumping out. Freddy followed shortly, saying his thanks and goodbyes once more. With his skateboard in hand, he jumped from the van, and slid the door to a close, "Don't forget to call me Lawrence." And with that she drove off.  
  
"You had my mother completely fooled!" fumed Lawrence as his mother drove away. Freddy turned to him and smirked; "Whenever I'm not telling the truth, she can see right through me, but with you, she thinks that you are an angel!" the two began to walk towards Summer's front door, "Not the spawn of evil that you really are!"  
  
"I'm glad that you feel that way about me," drawled Freddy as he punched the button of the Hathaway's doorbell. They waited for some seconds before they heard the solid approach of clapping footsteps.  
  
Summer was the one who had answered the door, since it was her house. She looked calculatingly at Freddy, "Great, Lawrence you're here," She said, "Freddy, I didn't think that you would show up," She told him honestly.  
  
"Well you were wrong, now weren't you Hathaway," He sauntered past her, into her house. Freddy could tell that she was boring a hole at his back, but she didn't say anything and neither did Freddy, "Now let's get this over with. I have things to do."  
  
"What? Extort younger children? Or perhaps there is a sale at the drugstore for gel and other hair products?" muttered a new voice. It was Zack's. His voice was coming from the direction of the living room. Summer led Lawrence and Freddy there.  
  
When they got there, they found Zack sprawled on the floor, watching the television intently, and Katie who was lying on a davenport lethargically. There was a coffee table, not far from where Zack was, which was cluttered with all sorts of binders and papers.  
  
"Alright, Zack, Katie," called Summer to the two, "Now that Lawrence and Freddy," She put an obvious stress on his name, "have arrived; let's start on the project already." She led them to the coffee table and they each sat down at its sides, "Okay, to start everything off, here are your binders back." She handed each of them the binder that they were specified to, "The first thing that we will discuss is work assignments." She took a clipboard and began reading from it, "Now, there are three categories, research, visual presentations, and audio presentations." She took out a hat, "In this hat, those three categories are written on pieces of paper. Two of us will be doing research, while another two will be doing the visual presentation, and one will do the audio presentation. I will explain what you'll have to do later, now pick."  
  
Zack reluctantly picked first, "I got 'Audio Presentation,'" He read Summer's neat cursive writing.  
  
Summer picked next, since no one seemed to be moving, "I have 'Research.'"  
  
"'Visual Presentation,'" muttered Katie after drawing from the hat.  
  
Lawrence put his arm in and drew out a scrap of paper, "I'm going to be 'Research."  
  
"Well then I guess that means Freddy is in 'Visual Presentation.'" shrugged Summer.  
  
"WHAT?!" yelled a disgruntled Katie, who winced as she screamed, remembering the abrasion of her cheek, "I can't work with Freddy Jones," She uttered his name with all the disgust she could muster.  
  
"Oh yeah, and who was all, 'hence it's called 'group work?' You hypocrite," hissed Freddy, covering up his own disgust with witty remarks.  
  
"Katie, please," began Summer, "We all know that you can't stand him, and you know that we can't stand him either," she said frankly, "Just bear his overbearing-ness and try to get this project done as best as you can." Katie sighed, but she refused any eye contact and her face was caught in a grimace.  
  
"Yeah," drawled Freddy, "Just talk like I'm not here. 'Cause, I know that you are the most tactful person I know Hathaway!" He snapped at her, "I would have thought that you would be a little more polite to your house guests." He pretended to sound abashed.  
  
Zack snapped in a monotone voice, "Cut the crap, Jones..."  
  
"No, Zack," Summer muttered unenthusiastically, "I guess Freddy is right. We are going to be working with each other for quite some time, we have to get used to each other and act at least more civil towards one another," She faced Freddy, "So, Freddy... I guess I'm sorry..." She offered him her hand.  
  
He looked at it suspiciously, all sorts of scenarios popping in his muddled head, but he shook it anyway. Katie's voice cut through thickly, "Please Summer... I can't work with..." She paused, wondering how to address him, "...him..."  
  
"Katie, just try to do it," begged Summer, "Try to bear him as much as possible..."  
  
Freddy opened his mouth to protest, but he got a heel painfully inserted on his foot by Zack. He shut himself up, "Fine," He spoke through gritted teeth, partly because he loathed the idea of working with her, and partly because the pain in his foot was unbearable. He held out his hand to Katie, as Summer had done awhile ago, "Since we are going to be working with each other for some time, how about a truce?" He flashed his best smile.  
  
Katie studied him thoroughly. She searched his eyes for some form of distrust, but his eyes were blocked off. His smile was convincing, yet deals done with Freddy Jones, were like deals with the devil. What if Katie ended up selling her soul?  
  
She shook her head free of those strange thoughts. Where did she come up with that? She looked once more at his outstretched hand. Each second seemed to stretch far longer than it should. She took in a deep breath and made her final decision. "Fine," She muttered, shaking his hand, gripping it forcefully. He winced in pain.  
  
"Alright Katie," said Summer uneasily, "Don't break his hand just yet. You'll need some help with your portion of work," She returned to her business-mode, she began reading from her clipboard "Alright so Lawrence and I have been assigned 'Research,' meaning we are the ones who are going to get all the information about the people whom we are going to research on. Katie and Freddy, you were assigned 'Visual Presentation,' meaning that you two will be the ones who will make the posters, models, and all those other visual aids. Zack, you were assigned 'Audio Presentation,' meaning that you will basically write up the script we will be using when we present," She handed out papers, giving them a more complete synopsis of their workload, "Any questions?"  
  
"Can we help others, outside our area of work?" asked Lawrence, after skimming through the paper.  
  
"Of course," Summer answered immediately, "Any more questions?"  
  
"Yeah," began Freddy, "In these things...err... binders, right? Well they have the complete schedules for these meetings and the topics we'll be attacking, right," before Summer could answer, he stopped her, "That isn't my question yet. What I am asking is... Will I have to read through all of it?"  
  
"No, Freddy... You don't..." muttered Summer who gave him a blatantly annoyed look, "Any more questions?" There was no response, "Alright then, so your first orders of business. Lawrence, you and I will hit the computers and books after I'm done. Zack, you help out with the research first, since you can't work on the script yet, I'll show you were the stuff is. Katie and Freddy, you make some drafts for the visual aids that you will be preparing, you can work here" she checked the watch lashed to her arm, "We stop a quarter before dinner time which is six forty-five. Alright, get to work!"  
  
After a series of silent groans, Zack and Lawrence followed Summer out to the Hathaway's library. Freddy and Katie were left in the living room. She refused to stare at him and he was getting attacked by his conscience.  
  
"Hey... Katie," he began uneasily, but his mind blanked at any form of conversation. He said the first thing that came to his mind, "Thanks for not squealing on me the other day," and he immediately regretted it. He wasn't supposed to feel gratitude. He was supposed to uphold his image of a cold, unfeeling jerk...  
  
"I didn't do it for you," She answered in a harsh voice, "I just don't want them to know what had happened to me. I didn't want them to know that I had actually, willingly associated myself with the likes of you!"  
  
Freddy bit his lip to keep his tongue in check, "Of course..." he mumbled. Katie forced her gaze to the ceiling and Freddy wasn't really staring at anything, but was too wound up in his thoughts to pay attention to anything.  
  
They sat in silence for quite some time. "Listen..." Katie's voice ended the unnerving silence, "I have an idea for one of the posters..."  
  
"Oh yeah..."  
  
"Well, you see..."

* * *

I was just sitting there as she got out a sheet of paper to show me the idea she had come up with. I was really surprised. I had been thinking about the uneasiness between her and I. I had been so uneasy about just knowing that she had the abysmal scar on her cheek.  
  
But then she says that she somehow gathered an idea for the project which seemingly fell out of my mind. I tried to keep my mouth screwed onto my jaw, not showing my complete surprise and utter offense. I was used to people feeling miserable when I felt miserable.  
  
She was busy explaining her layout to me, but I was barely listening, once again contemplating...obsessing over her reaction. I was seething inwardly. My surprise began evolving into irritation, and then it burst into rage. How could she not react predictably?  
  
I forced myself to appear to be listening to hear intently.  
  
My hands clenched the side of the table. My knuckles were groaning and whitening in protest. My insides were clenched. My tongue was raw from my biting teeth and my jaw was trembling, shut tight to keep me from verbally assaulting her. My brain was caught in a whirlwind! The thoughts that came out were unpleasant, yet each one was as fleeting as it was disturbing.  
  
I couldn't believe myself! This whole scenario felt so overwhelming. The pressure kept forcing me up, yet the immensity pushed me down as well. I was trapped in the middle. I was unable to rise, yet unable to fall either. Two great forces were battling over me, neither succeeding, yet neither failing. My emotions were in complete turmoil. I wanted to let everything out...  
  
"What's wrong with you?!" I yelled lividly, which followed a series of uncouth words. She shot her head from the paper she was focusing on and gave me a skeptical, perplexed look. That pissed me off even more.  
  
"What?"  
  
I let out a scream of exasperation. I began flailing my arms above me like an idiot, "How can you act so calm and so freakin' bloody infuriating!" I hissed to her fiercely, she backed away in bewilderment.  
  
"What are you talking about Jones," She spat my name out with such force and disgust.  
  
"Why are you acting like nothing had happened yesterday?" I continued scowling at her, while she returned the favor, "How can you act so cheery and forget that little scenario that happened near that freaking tree?" I shot up from the ground and towered over her.  
  
She stood up as well, and she was actually a good few inches taller than me, but since I was already so pissed off, my annoyance for that matter hardly showed. She glared at me fiercely and snapped, "What? You're upset because I'm not?"  
  
I stopped back and my eyes widened. How did she know that? But I regained my composure, "No, I'm upset because I know you are lying about what you said awhile ago about the reason of you not telling your friends!" It was a lie, and vaguely grammatically incorrect, but it was all I came up with.  
  
"I was not lying, you idiot!"  
  
"Oh? And for what reason should I actually believe you?!"  
  
"For the same reason I believe you, you worthless glob of pond scum!"  
  
"But you don't believe me!" I yelled back. She looked stunned, I had been right and she had been wrong, and she was really hating it, which I really loved, "Hah, got you, didn't I!" I was gloating, pissing her off even more.  
  
"It was a petty victory for a petty person!" She hissed once more.  
  
"You're just saying that for lack of a better excuse!"  
  
"SHUT UP!!!"

* * *

"They're screaming," stated Lawrence, rather calmly actually as he skimmed through the pages of the large research book he was holding. Zack was on the computer and Summer was studying an encyclopedia, "Is that a bad thing?"  
  
The voices were rising to a large degree, "Oh man, what if they trash my living room!" moaned Summer, "Mother will murder me!"  
  
"I say you leave them Summer," smirked Zack as he was scrolling down a research web page, although he was bored out of his wits, he still had his ways, "You know, so they can solve their differences." He gave a loud guffaw afterwards.  
  
Summer shrugged, "Do you suppose my house can survive a nuclear explosion?"

* * *

I had gotten home from Hathaway's house, feeling like crap. I was gliding down the streets on my skateboard, groaning and complaining to myself, the raining didn't help much either. I was stuck with Katie for most of the time and I had only gotten free of her horrible company during dinner. She had to go home earlier and I didn't show my relief and happiness discreetly. Although I did not miss the scowling glare and obscene gesture directed to me.  
  
All the feelings I thought I had yesterday were wiped out by my insane anger. I no longer thought that she was even remotely attractive. To me, she now resembled a diseased walrus with twenty-eight chins, deformed teeth, mop-like hair, and a really beaten up face. I smiled at the thought of it.  
  
I couldn't even bear to think of what I had begun to think of her the day before this one. I should have admitted that I was at fault and that I was a fickle jerk, but of course, my pride wouldn't allow me to do that. I pinned the blame all on her, with her conniving... well maybe that isn't the best word to use... with her maddening, irritating manner! I was so glad that I hadn't spent the day with Hathaway, but my hatred for Katie is growing steadily.  
  
I was extremely mad, but I wasn't really flustered. My attention span, although partly fixed on my thoughts, was on full alert. I decided that I liked these thoughts better, since they didn't trick me into ramming into lampposts.  
  
I continued skateboarding along the road. I saw some distance away from me; probably some meters away, there was another kid. I couldn't see very well through the rain and the darkness, but I could decipher some details. He was probably a boy and he was skateboarding like me. There was probably a big bag at his back, since there was a protruding lump at his back. He was somewhat in a hurry, that something from the lump fell to the hard cement.  
  
And of course, I, being the good soul that I am, speeded up to where the book was and picked it up. I looked at the book cover, it was black. The book was rather large and hardbound. I looked up to find the boy who had dropped the book, he wasn't that far. He had stopped some meters away, probably to tie his shoelaces.  
  
I sped up to him. When I reached him, he was still trying to tie his shoes, struggling with the immense weight that was strapped to his back. His face was obscured, "Err... Hey, dude, you dropped your book," The boy stiffened, but he didn't turn to face me.  
  
I set it down on the ground next to him, but I wasn't satisfied with his answer. I put on my helping face, "Do you want to help me with your bag?"  
  
"Sure thanks." His voice was a soft murmur. He sounded vaguely familiar.  
  
I lifted the bag from his bag and I was shocked at the weight that I almost buckled under its heaviness. I had the bag stuffed in front of my face while he fixed his shoelaces. I pondered on why I was doing this for the first time.  
  
The boy stepped up from his crouch, "Thanks Freddy..."  
  
I almost dropped the bag from my arms in shock, "Who are you?"  
  
"Man, I didn't know you were this dense," the kid muttered sarcastically. Slowly realization dawned on me.  
  
"Zack Mooneyham!" I yelled out loud, this time the bag slipped from my hands, landing on my skateboard, which catapulted upwards; whacking my upside the head. I saw Mooneyham laughing his ugly, little head off. I groaned partly out of pain and partly out of annoyance.  
  
I just wasn't lucky this new school year.  
  
He was drenched, just as I was, but at least Zack wasn't in pain, "Don't you dare say a word Mooneyham!" My threatening usually goes well, but this kid was laughing way too much to have any fear knocked into him.  
  
"But-" Before he could retaliate, two bright lights shined in our way, obscuring our vision completely. They were the headlights of a car, "Zack!" two people had yelled from the car. Pattering and splashing footsteps came towards them. I sighed, probably his parents.  
  
A woman, probably his mother, rushed to him, an umbrella above her head. She began stroking his head and checking for any injuries, "Zack, my poor baby! What took you so long to come home, dear?" She placed the umbrella above her 'poor baby's' head. I stifled my sniggers.  
  
"Zachary," His father's curt voice was a great contrast to his mother's.  
  
"Well, who's this?" His mother interrupted, glancing at me, "Zack, is this boy one of your school friends?"  
  
"I guess you can say that mom," He turned red from all the embarrassment he was feeling at the moment. I smirked at his attitude, "Err... This is Freddy. He's been my classmate ever since long ago..."  
  
"Freddy!" His mother's voice went abnormally high, "Freddy, Frederick Jones! I know your parents. But I mostly remember you, as that sweet, little boy who would offer everyone chocolates and kisses during those Valentine's Day parties!" I turned the color of a paper heart. What can I say, I was young and extremely stupid, not to mention I had no self-consciousness, "Why are you stuck in the rain too?"  
  
"Well actually-" I was cut off by a muffled ringing in my pants, "Excuse me." I flashed a quick smile and dug into my pocket. It was my cell phone, "Hello," I answered into the receiver. It was my mother, "Yes, mom."  
  
"Freddy, dear," her voice was rather muffled, and the reception he was picking up wasn't the best, "its Mommy. I just want to know where you are. Are you still in Summer's house? Or are you caught out in the rain?"  
  
"Well, Mom," I began, the rain was getting harder with each spatter, "I'm out in the rain, the Mooneyhams are with me..."  
  
"The Mooneyhams," her voice became higher, "Give the phone to one of them." I shrugged at the cell phone and handed it to Zack's mother. I told her it was my mother and she graciously took it. The two began chatting enthusiastically. They spoke so fast, I couldn't really catch up that much.  
  
When she was finished, she handed the phone to me and gave me a huge smile, "Well, Freddy, I and your mom had a little discussion. She doesn't want you out in the rain too much, and your house is still kind of far away. So I offered to let you sleep at our house, and your mother agreed. You are staying with us for the night."  
  
My eyes widened at that statement, but I didn't show my displeasure, instead I masked it with a face full of gratitude, "Thank you Mrs. Mooneyham, and thanks Mister Mooneyham." I smiled at the two of them. Zack's father looked rather hesitant, but his wife hushed him down.  
  
"What? Mom!" protested Zack; who came a bit too late in the conversation. "He can't sleep over!"  
  
"Why not son?" asked his mother, "Aren't you two buddies?" I felt sick at the thought. I'm pretty sure Mooneyham did too,  
  
"Oh yeah," Zack began throatily.  
  
"... We're the best of friends..."

* * *

I am so glad that that is all well and done with. I have no idea what took me so long to complete it. It's probably because I have another story, although it is in the Lord of the Rings section. Anyway, I hoped you liked this chapter. I know that it most of it is done in Freddy's point of view. It's not that he's the center of the story. It's because he's the easiest to write! And besides, the beginning chapters...the "Pre-Dewey Era"... they have the main characters evolving into what they are in the movies. And Freddy does need the most evolving, either way. I still hope that you liked the chapter and the whole story so far. I can't really think of what's going to happen next, I mean, I have ideas, but I don't even know if I'm going to be using any of them. Nothing is ever final for me. So it gets really, really confusing. Sometimes I can't really keep track of what's happening in my stories even if I do make them. But I mean, you have to admit that your brain does get muddled sometimes. But in my case, it's extremely muddled, but I guess that really is my fault. No matter, at least the chapters get done right? Heh... heh... I need to fill in this empty space. Yes, keep the text flowing, come on! When will this end? I have to get more words in. Is anyone actually reading this part? Oh well, everything must come to an end. So I leave all of you now, until the next chapter people! Please, please, please do not forget to give me a nice little review!


	6. Similar Differences

Thanks to all you people who have reviewed the story. I'm glad that something I started has changed into something bigger than I thought it could ever possibly become. But it did, and I have you all to thank, I suppose. Here is the sixth installment of the story. To recap, the five, Summer, Zack, Lawrence, Katie, and Freddy, have met up to try and get their project going. New animosity occurs and silence thrives as the main sound. Freddy sees Zack after their meeting and he meets his worried parents. Thanks to Mrs. Jones, Freddy is forced to stay at the Mooneyhams' for the night, because of the ever persistent downpour. I hope this story gets even better as it goes along.  
  
As much as I enjoy writing this story, I'm afraid, afraid that it won't go anywhere. I can't see what is going to happen in the near future for the story, but I can always see what'll happen in the end. It's really annoying, never knowing what's going to happen in the next chapter, but having full knowledge of what will happen in the even further chapters. I'm running out of whatever creativity I have, and it's driving me completely insane. Well, not completely, but we're getting close enough... I can't stand this! I don't even know what I'm going to be writing in this chapter. What the hell is going to happen to Zack and Freddy anyway? You don't have a bloody clue and neither do I, frankly. I just want to get this done as soon as possible! Don't stop reviewing!  
  
Chapter6  
  
Similar Differences  
  
I groaned inwardly inside the car, sitting as far away as possible from that lowlife malefactor. I wasn't seething, but I was mildly irate. How could my mom do this to me? How could his mom do it to him and me as well?  
  
I felt cold eyes on my shoulder and I turned to face him. He gave me a stony glare which I graciously returned. He scowled at me and turned his head back to the window. I did the same and watched the rain droplets slide onto the window and fall even further. The sites outside of the car were blurred, but the flashing lights and road signs were no new sight to my eyes.  
  
I just loved watching the rain.  
  
I had just left Summer Hathaway's house for the meeting about our project. Unfortunately when I left, I had just enough bad luck to see him on my way home. It was raining hard, but I loved that feeling. The sight of him dampened my spirits.  
  
So, the spiral of events lead us hear in this car. The only barrier that separated us, were our skateboards and school bags. They were rather large obstructions, so the distance between us was bearable.  
  
I groaned again, thinking of what would happen once we reached the house. I would be forced to share a room with him. I would be forced to breathe in the same air as him. I would be forced to listen to him snore, if he did... but then he probably did snore of course...  
  
I heard him give a loud moan. I raised my eyebrow skeptically, yet mockingly at him. Was he thinking on the same track that I was? It isn't possible. The two of us are worlds apart. He couldn't think the same way I did.  
  
My anger was building up at a steady pace. I wanted to lash out at him, telling him how much I hated him and how much I hated the fact that we had to sleep in the same house. I wanted to tell him that I didn't want to speak to him at all during the duration of the night.  
  
But my seatbelt and common sense kept me from doing so.  
  
I just sat back as hard as I could and ran my right hand through my hair. I gritted my teeth as I thought. I smiled, as I thought of him being brutally murdered and maimed. I conjured up different scenarios in my head of him being tortured.  
  
...I never knew that I was a sadist...  
  
My anger returned as the bloody thoughts stopped coming. I couldn't believe my luck in this new school year. Not only was I stuck with my worst enemy, but the fact that I had to sleep under the same roof as him. The more I thought, the angrier I became. This didn't have to happen if he wasn't there.  
  
I could be at home alone, without him and his disgustingly horrible self...

* * *

"Alright," Mrs. Mooneyham said as she unbuckled her seat belt, "We're here already, Zack, Freddy?" She called for the two boys. They were in the back seat of the car; both had similar expressions on their contrasted faces. Their faces held no emotion, yet the impassiveness on both their faces appeared to be forced and strong emotions were being restrained from escaping, "Get your things and get inside."  
  
The two boys obeyed, yet neither saying a word. They grabbed their bags and skateboards and trudged into the Mooneyhams' residence, "You can drop your bags and skateboards in the foyer," Mrs. Mooneyham told them as she scurried on ahead. Mr. Mooneyham faced them, gave the two a curt nod, and went in ahead as well.  
  
The boys went inside the house, dropping their wet belongings into the entrance hall, silence reigned supremely, "Zack, you can handle Freddy, he's your guest after all!" called his father, "Your mother and I will leave you to take care of the arrangements."  
  
"But don't forget to offer Freddy some dry clothes," his mother called after his father, "Oh, and your sleeping bag is in your closet, and make him feel at home, give him the treatment his deserves!" His clearly concerned mother babbled.  
  
Zack faced Freddy and glared, "I guess that means you're sleeping on the floor," muttered Zack. He made a motion for Freddy to come follow him. They trudged their way to the stairs. Once they reached the top, they passed a few doors and Zack swung open the door to his room.  
  
"Nice room Mooneyham," scorned Freddy as they entered Zack's room. The entire place was organized and straight. The walls had boring wallpaper and were mostly bare, except for the educational and inspirational posters hung on the walls. The only things remotely interesting in the room were the television set, the video games, and the computer.  
  
"Glad to see you have taste Jones," Zack mumbled cynically, "But we can't all live in pig sties like you, now can we?" He went to a row of drawers and pulled out some clothes and a towel. He threw them to Freddy, "Please don't leave your smell on them."  
  
"Are you kidding?" snapped Freddy, "I doubt anything can remove the rankness you've infected these clothes with," he hid a grin behind his head, as he pivoted it, "Where is your bathroom, provided that you have one of course..."  
  
"Just across my room," answered Zack, "Provided you know where across is!" opposed Zack.  
  
Freddy gave him a wide smirk, "Oh, I think I can manage." He swung open the door behind him and left the room. Zack picked out his own clothes and went into another bathroom to change.  
  
The two had similar thoughts roaming within their heads...

* * *

'Stupid Mooneyham,' Freddy cursed in his head as he dried of from the rain, 'Stupid cell phone reception, why couldn't you have been affected by the static! I can't believe I'm stuck here with Zack Mooneyham, of all the bloody people in the world! I hate him and all his stupid, little wisecracks! 'I guess that means you're sleeping on the floor then!' That loser,' Freddy mocked Zack in thought, 'Maybe if I can dig up some embarrassing secret from all his stuff, I can find something worthy of blackmail! Yes, that would put Mooneyham is his real place...'

* * *

'Idiotic Jones,' Zack yelled in his head as he slipped on a big shirt for sleeping, 'Idiotic bad timing, why did my parents and Jones have to be there at the same time? This bites; I have to spend the whole, freaking night with Freddy Jones, him of all the people I dislike! He thinks that he is so funny with all his little, snide comments! 'I doubt anything can remove the rankness you've infected these clothes with!' That jerk,' Zack mimicked Freddy in his mind while he was brushing his teeth, 'I heard somewhere that he sleep-talks! Maybe if I get him to cough something up, I can use it against him as blackmail! Yes, that would put Jones in his real place...'

* * *

Zack returned to the room after he had pulled on his sleeping clothes. He found Freddy Jones, his apathetic houseguest, brooding as he slouched in the center of the room. When Freddy noticed Zack's arrival, an exchange of glares occurred.  
  
Zack brushed him off and deposited his clothes in the hamper. He turned to face Freddy, yet his face remained impassive, "Listen, you may want to go to sleep now, but I'm not going to," He walked over to his closet and pulled out a beaten-up sleeping bag, and threw it to him. "Here's your bed, put it anywhere you like, preferably out in the rain." muttered Zack in an undertone.  
  
"You're wittiness is so endearing," snapped Freddy who caught the sleeping bag forcefully, "But I doubt that I will be sleeping before you do. I don't have any idea of what horrors you'll do to me while I sleep!" He took the bundle and pulled out the sleeping bag. He laid it as far as possible from the bed.  
  
Zack gave him a shrug, "I'm going to be playing some video games," with that he pivoted his body and went for the gaming console, picking through the scores of games. He finally settled on one and popped it into the console. He got out a controller and waited as the game loaded.  
  
"So what?" hissed Freddy, "You're just going to leave me standing here?"  
  
"I did say that you could go to sleep," Zack answered promptly, concentrating on his game.  
  
Freddy scowled widely, "You have two controllers, let me play." It did sound whiney, Freddy realized that, but whiney was all that he had. Freddy did not enjoy being excluded out of things, especially things that were as interesting as video games, "If I know people like you, and I do, your mother is going to come up and check on you later. If she sees you excluding me, she'll go berserk." Freddy sneered at his conclusion.  
  
Zack groaned loudly as he heard and processes what Freddy had said. It was true. Whenever guests had stayed at their house, his mother had done all in her power to keep them happy, if not slightly creeped out. She would come and check on them later, and would chew her son out if she found that he was ostracizing Freddy.  
  
For a dough-minded tough guy, he was smart...  
  
"Fine," relented Zack, he tossed Freddy the second controller, "I'm switching to 'Two Players.'" Zack fiddled around with some buttons and the analog stick, "Just kill anything you see on the screen," said Zack, then he went into a more detailed explanation on what the commands were.  
  
The same thought ran once more through their heads, 'This is going to be a long night...'

* * *

"You idiot, you fire at the mummies and zombies!" yelled an exasperated Zack, shooting a quick glance at Freddy, who was clearly struggling, "No, scratch that! You've got the firing down, what you need is s sense of direction!" Zack had successfully blown up three zombies in front of him.  
  
Freddy's health bar was dangerously low, but his anger level was quickly rising, "I'll show you aim!" He jerked his analog stick to the right, aimed his gun at Zack's character, and fired, hitting Zack's character squarely in the back. Zack's perfect HP Bar was destroyed.  
  
"You're supposed to shoot at the monsters!" hissed Zack as he faced Freddy, who smirked arrogantly, "You loser!" Zack expertly turned his analog stick around to face Freddy's character. He switched his Gun Blade with a small Machine Gun. He sent a barrage of bullets towards Freddy's character.  
  
The computerized blood flew everywhere within the television screen. Blocks of Freddy's health bar were flying away, until finally it was empty. Zack smiled in triumph and mirth as the abashed look on Freddy's face.  
  
But the strange expressions on their faces soon switched as the different monsters came roaring up towards Zack, who stood off his guard. As they slashed at him continuously, he fumbled to change his gun and reload a new cartridge, but the fiends had been attacking him mercilessly. His HP Bar was depleting fast.  
  
The words Game Over were scrawled over the screen in large, dark red letters. Zack glowered at Freddy as he dropped his controller. Freddy gave his adversary a toothy grin, "Fine," muttered Zack, "Obviously there is a lot of repressed anger suffocating this room, perhaps we need to vent it out... on each other..." Zack got a malevolent grin and stood up, towering over Freddy.  
  
An apprehensive look crossed Freddy's face, "Now Mooneyham," he chuckled weakly, "There's no need to resort to violence right now," as much confidence as Freddy had in his 'beating up' skills, he did not want to be there when Zack's parents discovered the bloody stains on his carpet.  
  
Zack snorted at Freddy's obviously fear, but pivoted himself towards the stack of games. He picked out another game, took out the previous one, and jammed the new one in. He returned to his place on the floor and held his controller, "This is a fighting game, pick a character and you and I fight each other. The Ultimate Winner will be the one who gets the most victories in an hour and thirty minutes." His shot Freddy a contemptuous look, "Do you get it, or is it too complex?"  
  
"Shut up and play!" growled Freddy. Zack smirked and hit the 'On' button. The screen flashed and the game's intro began playing. As soon as the intro had finished, Zack, being the First Player selected a Two-Player Game. A lot of faces popped up to the screen soon after. Zack, with full knowledge of what he was doing, selected his fighter carefully. Once he finished Freddy was left to figure out whom to pick on his own.  
  
He would rather be lacerated into tiny pieces than ask help from Zack Mooneyham...  
  
He settled on this gigantic looking guy. He had a strange haircut, and a brawny body. Zack shook his head and muttered something incoherent, yet clearly offensive. Freddy ignored him and waited as the game processed the information it was given. A new screen popped up and asked them to pick a place for the fight to ensue. Zack, being the First Player, selected a random site.  
  
They ended up in some parking lot. There was a lot of stuff surrounding them. Zack mentioned something about being able to pick them up and use them as weapons. Freddy's and Zack's chosen characters appeared in the center of the parking lot facing each other. Both of them were in their different battle stances.  
  
Words then flashed on the television screen, commencing the battle. Zack moved first, his fingers deftly controlling the buttons and arrow keys. His character swooped up above Zack's character and sent a barrage of kicks to the Freddy's.  
  
A quarter of Freddy's Health bar was gone. Freddy growled as Zack, clearly the expert, jumped back after his first attack. Freddy, set on pure rage, charged towards Zack's character and dealt a huge punch followed by two kicks afterwards. A block of Zack's health bar went away.  
  
Zack began pounding on a series of buttons, executing some complex moves, while Freddy was merely punching random buttons. Either way, the two effects were evenly matched. Yet in the end, Zack had won.  
  
"Beginner's unluckiness," muttered Freddy, contemplating on the thought of throwing the controller at Zack.  
  
"Really?" smirked Zack, "Do you think it will last throughout the whole game?" A new fight was soon commencing.  
  
"Much to your chagrin," muttered Freddy, he had experimented with the buttons and accidentally dealt a lethal blow, leaving less than half Health Points on Zack's HP Bar, "Not a chance!"  
  
The battle ensued and the hour and thirty minutes wore on. The statistics had not altered in the first thirty minutes, Zack was clearly in the lead, but soon after, Freddy was gaining fast, having gotten used to the different controls and moves.  
  
As much as winning was the primary object, both boys couldn't deny that they were having fun.  
  
After an hour passed, the thirty minutes had been gone as well. Zack pressed a few buttons that would take them to the statistics page. The screen darkened as the game was loading. Color flashed back onto the screen and the statistics were shown.  
  
Freddy was down by seven victories.  
  
"I beat you!" Zack smiled to himself, he didn't feel like bursting out, and doing victory dances. He preferred for Freddy to wallow in silent mockery, but then he glanced at Freddy, noticing his lethal expression, "Good round anyway." Zack held out his hand, wondering why he had done so.  
  
Freddy shook it suspiciously and forcefully, one might add, "Yeah, good game..." He answered lethargically, "Seven games isn't that much!" He snapped out of the blue.  
  
"A petty little child like you may have that satisfaction," responded Zack prudently.  
  
"Yeah, and old cranks like you deserve to have pathetic victories every now and then!" snapped Freddy.  
  
Zack glared at him intensely after shutting down the gaming console. Freddy gladly returned that glare to Zack. The glare on Zack's face was altered when a corner of his mouth twitched upwards.  
  
The catalyst...  
  
Zack began laughing hysterically. He rarely lost his composure, yet now he was cackling insanely in front of his worst enemy. Freddy's scowl turned into a tentative, cautious look. But seeing Mooneyham, giggling like a maniac, he too lost it.  
  
The two were standing upright in the room, laughing their heads of maniacally. Freddy could feel his common sense slip through the grasp of his reality. He had no idea why he was laughing, but he forgot to care.  
  
Zack, on the other hand, noticed Freddy guffawing, and stopped himself. "Why the hell are you laughing, Jones?" He found himself asking Freddy brusquely. The other boy stopped his insanity abruptly.  
  
Freddy racked his now returning thoughts for an answer, "Err... I don't really know..." muttered Freddy. He immediately smacked himself mentally. You never admit weakness to anyone, much less your worst enemy...  
  
"Really?" cried Zack incredulously, "The One and only Freddy Jones doesn't know why he was laughing like a maniac! For once, is he at a loss for words?!" Zack's mockery would have gone on if not for the ringing of a telephone in his room.  
  
"I'll get it Mother!" yelled Zack as he made his way to the phone, "Hello, this is the Mooneyham residence, may I ask who is calling and to who this call is addressed to?" Zack recited from a placard stuck to his wall, given to him by his father. It was to make certain that he received calls properly, "Oh, hi Summer," greeted Zack.  
  
"Ooh, Mooneyham got a call from Hathaway!" Freddy spoke in the most girly tone he could reach, "Should I plug my ears up before all the mushy crap comes spewing from your mouth?" He feigned innocence.  
  
"Excuse me Summer," He told her curtly, completely blocking of the mouth piece so she wouldn't hear, "When you plug up your ears, do us all a favor and plug up your nose and put a sock in your mouth as well! Hopefully you'll run out of oxygen and die!" He gave Freddy a scathing grin and returned to his other conversation, "Sorry, Summer. Why did you call?"  
  
Freddy rolled his eyes and dropped back on the carpeted floor, onto the sleeping bag. "You're calling about the project? I had just left your house! What else do you need to talk about?" Zack groaned into the telephone.  
  
Freddy laughed, visualizing Summer yapping on and on and Zack grimacing throughout the whole thing. He barely contained a snicker as Zack answered in monotone to everything Summer said to him.

* * *

"Zack, I'm going to email whatever information I have right now and you should see what you can do with it," suggested Summer, on the other end of the line Zack was groaning inwardly, "But I'll try to keep updating you on the information Lawrence and I gather."  
  
"Alright, Summer," Zack's voice was muffled by his gritted teeth, "Is there anything else you want to talk to me about?"  
  
"Oh yeah," Zack could barely make out a sound of shuffling papers in the other end, "I've tried to call Freddy, but all I'm getting is their answering machine. Do you have any idea where he is?"  
  
Zack cringed as Summer spoke those words, "Err... yeah... Freddy is staying over at my house..."  
  
"What?!" Zack winced as she screamed into the phone, sending it straight to his right ear.  
  
"Well... When I was heading home on my skateboard it was raining. I met up with Jones sometime when I was on my skateboard. My parents went looking for me and Jones's mom called him and then my mom got excited and wanted to talk to his mom on his cell phone. So, his mom, all concerned for her darling, little son, asked if Freddy could sleep over at my house, since she didn't want him out of the rain or something. My mom agreed and now the miserable malefactor is in my house!"  
  
"You should have said no Zack!"  
  
"You know my parents! I couldn't have said no!"

* * *

The phone call had ended and Zack put the phone down. He turned to face Freddy, "Summer says that you have to call Katie sometime tomorrow for your assignment," said Zack, a groan followed as he collapsed on his bed.  
  
"What now Mooneyham?" smirked Freddy, "Have you finally realized that Summer Hathaway is the world's biggest curmudgeon!" He laughed at his own pathetic attempt at a joke, hoping it would get Zack angry.  
  
"I've always known that she was a 'curmudgeon' Jones," contradicted Zack as he rubbed his face, "Just because I'm her friend, doesn't mean I'm blind! I know that she can get a little too carried away when it comes to school!"  
  
"Carried away?" sputtered Freddy in disbelief, "That has to be the most gargantuan understatement of the millennia!"  
  
Zack, much to his utter surprise, let out a genuine laugh, "Do you know what she did in the first grade? We had this group project too. Summer, Lawrence, and I had to make a small statue made completely out of macaroni!" Freddy found himself actually listening, "Well, Summer was so stoked about the project. She practically took the entire project off our hands and did the whole thing herself. When she came back on the next day of school, she had a life-size macaroni statue of our teacher!"  
  
"I remember that!" Freddy joined in the laughing as well, "That was the day Frankie tried eating one of the statues and got his mouth clamped shut with macaroni and glue!" Freddy laughed at that milestone, "I'll have to admit that Frankie isn't the smartest guy in the world I guess..."  
  
"I second that statement," responded Zack, "But in any universe, he isn't as horrible as you!"  
  
"I'm flattered that you think so highly off me," retorted Freddy, his voice was sarcastic, "Hey, but don't tell Frankie about what I said. I mean, I don't care what he does to you, but I'm pretty sure that he can beat the both of us up!"  
  
"I won't tell Frankie, if you don't tell Summer," replied Zack, "You may have seen Summer stressed, but you have never seen her downright pissed!" Strangely enough another laugh was shared among them.  
  
"...You know; you aren't as bad as I had always thought you were..."

* * *

We continued talking after the iceberg had been dented slightly. Strangely enough it was easy to talk to him. I think it was because we shared more of the same interests. I enjoy the company of my friends, but apparently my I had more in common with my worst enemy.  
  
I think that the video game was the thing that scraped a bit off the huge chunk of ice. Ragging off our friends seemed to help actually, even if we didn't mean it. Well, I didn't mean it, I don't know about him though.  
  
Don't get me wrong, I still hate his bloody guts, but I suppose that he's okay enough to talk to. I'm actually glad that it's him who I met after the meeting at Summer's house. I wouldn't be able to talk as well with Lawrence. And Katie and I weren't on the best terms at the moment.  
  
It was interesting to say in the least. I found out that he skateboarded like I did and that he knew some cool tricks. He could have been lying, but I doubted it very much. He like video games too. I wasn't extremely crazy about them, but at least it was something to talk about. He had some complaints about his parents like I did and he pretty much felt the same way about most of the people in our class.  
  
It was actually reassuring, but a bit creepy, that I could actually have a civil conversation with my worst enemy. We were actually so alike that it freaked me out slightly. It was strange to know that someone I've been against all these years was actually an okay person in my eyes. I've heard a lot of bad things about him, but talking to him helped me form my own opinion, instead of solely basing it all on what all the other people around me said.  
  
But I didn't feel completely forgiving. He was still the enemy and I didn't plan to treat him any differently. I would treat him the same way I treated him at school. Even if Summer knew, she would probably assume that we didn't speak the entire night.  
  
I had an image to keep up.  
  
Nearly every person in school has an image. Even some of the unpopular kids get images, unpopular images, but images nonetheless. I didn't really care for changing my image, it wasn't the best image, but it wasn't that bad either.  
  
Either way, he's an okay guy...

* * *

Finally finished! I'm glad that I actually got through this chapter. I'm getting really lazy, and I've had some thoughts on halting the story, but I decided not to. I'm going to keep on writing...or typing in this case. I hope that you all liked this chapter and the overall story. It's been fun to write but a bit taxing. I have another story in the Lord of the Rings section, and I'm trying to get that one started first. Do you know how hard it is to get people to notice your story there? It's like, when you update, your story gets pushed back a few more pages because a lot more people are updating as well! Your story is probably at the fourth or fifth page, and I don't think people ever go there! I wonder if people are even reading my other story! Oh well...Please don't forget to review!


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